Fallen Heroes
by rock-star-vt
Summary: What happens two years after the game. COMPLETED!! TA-DA. [8/03/03] Epilogue and Author’s notes posted. Enjoy!!
1. Chapter One

Prelude to the turmoil….

"Echoes and artifacts of dilapidated lives."

Ok, here it goes.  This is a prologue to the story "Fallen Heroes."  It's an agnsty little action story about how things change, but how people can overcome the obstacles in their way to save the world, and themselves, yet again.  

Basically two years have passed since we last saw our heroes.  Many things have changed and so have many people.  Wakka and Lulu have put their differences beside them and have been happily married for a year now, and are expecting a little bundle.  Yuna, well, you're going to have to read to find out.  Where would the fun be if I told you?  Spira itself has changed rapidly though.  Al Bhed and their machina are no longer thought of as heathen ways.  Their machines are accepted and even promoted in all facets of life.  Al Bhed rifles are used by Crusaders who guard the cities and towns.  Their medicine and equipment are used by hospitals.  Their spheres are used all over Spira.

Due to this and the general happiness caused by the Eternal Calm, towns and cities are becoming more and more populated.  Many of Spira's inhabitants who lived inland trying to get away from the dark veil of Sin, can now move to the islands and the beachside villages without fear.  The shape and feel of Spira has changed in the two years that it has been freed of the death and destruction of Sin.

Anyway, this story is divided into three parts.  Part One is focuses on the changes and is a little boring (by my standards) due to the fact that so much time has passed and I have to develop the characters a bit.  Things will pick up very, very soon though.  Also, I know that Chapter One is very short, way too short by my standards.  Believe me when I tell that after about the third chapter, they become VERY long.

Special thanks to all of those who have reviewed and supported me along the way.  You're the reason that this story has went from just a few chapters of unplanned and unstructured nothingness, to the ambitious story that it is today.  Shout to Sanguine Guardian and Trey-Loose, who've helped the most with their suggestions and/or support.  Also I have to recognize Blithering Bard, No One, and Amber Lee.  Although you guys may or may not have really read this one, the inspiration for writing (which I have never really done before) has came your stories.

Anyway, enough of my rambling.  Without further ado…I present to you the now edited version of "Fallen Heroes."

=============================

Chapter One

It's been two years now.

The more things change, the more things... well, the more things really change.

"I worry about her" came a deep feminine voice.

For a few moments, her only reply was the steady sound of the summer breeze.

"Ya.  I do too." The ex-Auroch paused before adding "E'ryday."

Wakka's voice trailed softly down the beach of Besaid, only to be intermingled with the sounds of the pounding surf and the chirping of the birds.  To most anyone, it would seem like a pleasant afternoon.  The air was warm, but not yet hot.  The sea breeze cooled your skin as it lifted your hair backwards.  The sounds of abundant life in the jungle are making an orchestra of sounds that would make anyone smile and enjoy the moment.

Almost anyone.  

She hasn't smiled and enjoyed the moment for two years now.

She was out there doing what she normally does about every couple of days.

She was whistling.

A gust of wind picked up from the sea and streamed by her.  Her hair, light brown with stark streaks of gray and white, whisked back out of her face.  As she whistled again, fine lines formed on her face, right below the eyes and in the corner of her mouth.  Even her eyes, which were usually bright blue and turquoise green, seem to have faded a couple of shades.

"She's aged so much," Lulu said.

"I know ya'.  Much more than any of us."  Wakka shifted on the blanket a bit.  He knew that wasn't the supportive answer Lulu was looking for.   He then rolled over on the hot beach, turning his back to Yuna for a moment.  He gazed at Lulu.  She had on a pair of black slacks, which she seemed to not mind in the hot Besaid summer.  Above that she had a dark gray sleeveless shirt.  Her trademark blue and red necklaces were dangling on the blanket.  But the two things that Wakka was drawn to, was her hair and her belly.  

She had let her hair completely down this morning.  Her raven-like hair was somehow smooth and coarse at the same time.  It flowed down her features and went all the way to her stomach.  That was the other thing Wakka was drawn to, because it was unusually large and rounded, as their child lay in there, waiting to take it's first breath of air.

"Lu." He started.  "I know we promised to look after her, ya know.  But after all this time, I get the feelin' that there ain't much we can do." He paused while looking away from his wife.  "Or that we ain't done all that much."

Lulu reached out and took his hand.  "I know Wakka, I know."

Behind them, another whistle floated down the beach towards them.  Then another, and still another.  Whistles from an aging summoner, and a lost cause.

-------------------------

Author's notes

1—Two fics at the same time?  I must be completely losing it.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—To tell the truth, I have ABSOLUTELY no idea where this story is headed.  I just had a couple of ideas and I'm running with them.  So any ideas or feedback would really be awesome.

4—I may update this one next, or I may post another Full Circle chapter, depending on my mood and the amount of time I have.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

*Swish Swish*

*Swish Swish*

_What's that sound, _he thought to himself.__

*Swish Swish*

_Is that water?  Why can I hear? _

*Swish Swish*

_Why is it so cold here?_

*Swish Swish*

_Why am I feeling?_

*Swish Swish*

_If I can feel…then can I see too?_

With an extraordinary amount of effort, Tidus forced his eyes open.  

_Where am I?_

He gathered all of his energy and fully extended himself.  As he did, he felt all of his bones pop and all of his tendons stretch.  

_Aaahhhhhh_, he screamed to himself.

*Swish Swish*

_I am most definitely underwater_, he mused to himself.  With a sense of determination, he started kicking his legs forward and rose to the top of the water.  When he broke through, he had to shield his eyes from the blinding light of the sun.  After a few moments his pupils started to adjust.  As he looked around to try and get his bearings, he saw a piece of land out of the corner of his eyes.  He didn't know why he should swim there, or what or whom he will meet.  He just took a breath and started swimming ashore.

------

"Yunie!!"

A young blonde girl came rushing up through the crowded streets of Besaid, nearly knocking over a couple of the market shoppers in the process.  The small village has seemingly erupted in the past two years.  The population of Besaid has almost tripled, now that the threat of Sin was no longer.  People who lived far inland, trying to get out from the veil of Sin's shadow are now able to migrate to the seaside towns and villages.  Besaid, especially, had become a tropical hotspot over the years.

"Yunie!!" came the voice of the Al Bhed, even louder this time.

This time Yuna heard her cousin and long-time friend.  She turned around just in time to receive a big hug from Rikku.  "Hey Rikku," she said, still in the embrace.  "It's good to see you."

As they finished their hug, Rikku asked "How ya been?"

"Oh I'm fine," Yuna replied in a monotonous tone.  Obviously, Yuna still wasn't fine.  She may never be fine.  But she will continue to put on a front for her friends and her family, Rikku being both.   "What brings you to Besaid?" she asked, trying to keep the subject away from her well-being. 

"Well," Rikku said, placing a hand on her hip.  "It's a little bit personal, and a little bit professional."

"Go on," Yuna said, sitting down on a chair outside her hut.

"We'll, I had to go to Kilika because Jarvis, you've met him right?"

Yuna nodded.  At one point or another, she had met all of Rikku's entourage.  Being the Al Bhed representative to the Assembly of Spira required a lot of staff.  _I should know_, Yuna thought to herself.

"We'll, he's from Kilika," Rikku continued.   "And his dad passed away, so I gave him a weak of leave.  I felt bad so I thought that I should stop by and pay respects to the rest of his family.  So while Jarvis is there, I thought I would stop in and see my favorite cousin."  Rikku's words came off of her tongue a million miles a second, as she couldn't contain her excitement over seeing Yuna.

By then the rest of Rikku's crew, which she jokingly called "The Boys" caught up with her.  

"Lady Yuna," the first one said, while showing a little bow of respect.  

"Hey," she replied, while desperately trying to remember his name. _Garis? Or was it Gavin?_  "You are all welcome here," she said.  "Welcome to Besaid."

"All right boys," Rikku said as she turned to her crew.  "You're dismissed.  Me and Yunnie have some girl talk to take care of."    With that, everyone dispersed around town.  Seeing that scene made Yuna slightly regret leaving her position as Besaid Representative.  _"My heart wasn't in it,"_ she had once said.  That comment struck most of the elders as being ironic, because it was her idea for the United Government of Spira.  

"Spira is free," she remembered saying to the assembled Maesters of Bevelle those long two years ago.  "But it is in disarray.  It is obvious now that Yevon cannot control the people.  What we need, is one central government.  We need to come together, not as Al Bhed, Yevonites, Lucans, but as the people of Spira.  We need to all be as one, and only then can we move on.  Only then, can we bring Spira back to the magnificent and beautiful world it once was."

Everyone loved it.  

Over the next few days, all of the head Maesters, elders, and politicians worked hard on a plan to unite Spira.  When they had finished, a blueprint for United Government of Spira was born.  

There were to be ten representatives and a central figurehead to be placed on a Board of Assembly.  Each representative came from each of the major parts in Spira: Besaid, Kilika, Luca, Djose, Guadosalam, Macalania, Bevelle, Al Bhed, and Gagazet.  The central figurehead, called the Grand Marshall, is voted every five years.  Although the position is the highest ranking one in the government, it has really no peacetime power.  Many of the elders still were hesitant to offer somebody full reign of Spira.  At first, the position was offered to Yuna, who accepted it initially.  However after a few days she had changed her mind.  Her official excuse:

"My heart isn't in it."

But really, she couldn't focus.  Her mind kept drifting away, always to him.  So she stepped down and voted Luzzu in her place.  Luzzu was a wise man that she trusted to do the right thing.  The fact that he was a Crusader gave him even more appeal.  It was around that time is when she first started to look older, more mature.  Stress, worry, and heartbreak finally began to take its toll on her.  She looked as if Father Time had a grudge against her.  Often, she looked the way she felt.  And she felt like part of her soul had been ripped out the instant Tidus leapt off of the edge of the Airship.  

-----

Rikku also had another reason for coming to Besaid.  The warm beaches of Besaid were an excellent place to clear your head.  She had been sitting out here on the same pier that Yuna had used yesterday for a couple of hours now.  She had her feet dangling over the side, just letting her mind rest.  Now that the tide is up, the water is close enough so that when a big wave came along it would reach up and kiss the young Al Bhed's feet.  When she first came out here, the sun was setting.  It was beautiful seeing the reds and oranges sparkle off of the horizon.  She could hear a flock of gulls somewhere crying out in the late evening.  It was very relaxing.  

Today had been a day of mixed emotions for her.  Although it was great seeing everybody, and seeing how far along Lulu was, she couldn't help but think about Yuna.  She's not even the same person she once was.  Rikku said something today to Lulu that she regretted, even though it was true.  _Truth hurts sometimes_, she thought.  _Even when it is about family; No, especially when it is about family.  _ They were discussing how much Yuna has changed when Rikku said:  "You know, if I didn't know her, and if she wasn't my family and friend, then I wouldn't hang out with her.  I don't like the person she is becoming."

Immediately she scolded herself.  _But it's the truth,_ she later thought.

"Oh well," she said aloud as she got up and dusted herself off.  "She'll come out of this someday."

After a few seconds pause she added, "I hope," and then turned to walk back towards the village.

Rikku had almost left the beach when she heard something.  It was nothing more than a faint noise being carried by the soft night breeze.  She wouldn't have stopped if she didn't hear it again.  It sounded like somebody, way over in the dense jungle.  It sounded like a slight moan.

"Hmmm.  I wonder what that could be," she thought aloud putting her finger up to her lips.

"Hey!!" she yelled.  "Is anybody over there."

After a moment of no reply, she took a precarious step into the jungle, and then disappeared into the darkness.  

"Eww," she said as her hand touched something moist.  "You better be glad I'm coming over here buster," she said aloud. 

That time she got a response.  

"Mmmmmm-uahhhhhh."

It sounded close by, and it sounded somehow familiar.  She took a few steps in that direction before she cracked her shin on a branch.  "Ow!" she screamed in pain.

Almost in reply, came another faint groan.

"Allright, allright.  Geesh."

She actually didn't know how much farther she had to go.  That is, until she stepped on something that moved.  At first she screamed, thinking it was a snake, or some kind of fiend.  But then she realized it was far too big to be a fiend.  She then looked down, and after a few moments of staring, she was able to make out a vague human shape, curled up into the fetal position.

"Are you all right," she asked bending over to attend to the figure.  It was then that she realized that the figure was none other than Tidus.  Her knees buckled and she felt dizzy.  She had to reach out and grab a tree for support.

"Tidus!!"

"Tidus!!" she called again, almost screaming.

Her only reply was another deep rumbling moan.

------------------------

Author's notes

1—Will Tidus be ok? What will Yuna do now that the man of her dreams is back? Will the chaos ever end? Stay tuned for the next chapter.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Again, I have ABSOLUTELY no idea where this story is headed. I just had a couple of ideas and I'm running with them. So any ideas or feedback would really be awesome.

4—Recommended reading: Otherworld, by Blithering Bard. No this isn't a paid advertisement, it's just a really, REALLY good fic. Probably the best I've read. It's long, but well worth it.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Sweat poured off of her body.

"No," she said to darkness.  "Please don't go."

She rolled over and let out a moan.

Yuna was asleep, but not really sleeping.  Her pleasant dreaming suddenly turned into a nightmare sometime in the hot Besaid summer night.  It was the same nightmare that she has had quite a lot over the past two years.  It was the one about her losing the man she loved.  In this place between sleep and awake, her dreams sometime took off with themselves.  And sometimes they formed words, screams, and moans into the night.

"I love you," she said.  She was now thinking about being outside the Airship after the battle with Sin.  She remembered running towards Tidus.  She was planning on hugging him, and asking him not to leave.  Telling him that she loved her.  But instead, she rushed through his body.  _I love you_, she thought absent-mindedly.

_Why did you have to leave me?_

_I don't know what to do without you._

Suddenly more flashes of her memory came to mind.  On the docks of Luca, whistling with him.  Zanarkand, around the campfire, the sunset on the top of Mi' Ihen Highroad, and Macalania Lake.

_Oh God_, some part of her mind said.  

Immediately her mind raced faster and faster.  More images, starry nights, warm water, the taste of his kiss.  His smell.  The feel of his hand in hers.  The looks they gave each other.  The thoughts she always wanted to say, but never really could.

Maybe if I had said something else, or did something else.  Maybe I had hadn't defeated Sin, her mind said.  

The sweat from her fitful sleep had made her nightgown stick to her body and her hair mangled and thick to her face.

"Why did you have to go?" she asked aloud.

"Yuna." It was Tidus' voice, but it was only in her head.  She began to answer it when it continued.  "I'll find another way."  Suddenly her mind took her back to the Airship, in the bridge next to Tidus, Lulu, and Cid.  Another memory took over her mind.  "But I didn't like your way!!  I wanted to stay with you!!" she said into the night.

There was a knocking on her door, but she was too asleep to distinguish reality from fantasy anymore.

_"Will you stay with me until the end?" she had once asked._

_"No, not until the end," came her reply.  "Always."_

"Damn it!!" she screamed into the night.  "Why didn't you keep your promise?"

"Yuna," Lulu said as she entered the room, dressed in her nightgown holding a candle-lit lamp.

"Why didn't you keep your promise?" Yuna repeated again in her own subconscious world.

"Yuna," Lulu said again as she shook her arm to wake her friend.  "Oh my God," she said as she felt the sweat and saw the look of despair on Yuna's body.  "Wake up!" she said shaking her more.

"Hmm?" Yuna responded, coming out of her sleep.  "Lulu?"

Only Lulu wouldn't answer.

"What's wrong?" she asked in her groggy state.

She hesitated before answering.  She couldn't exactly find the words she needed, so she blurted out the only thing that made sense:

"Tidus."

"What?" Yuna replied, snapping back to full consciousness.

"I don't know." Lulu started, but then stalled.   "Rikku found…"  Lulu took her eyes away from Yuna, glancing down.

"What?  What is it?" Yuna persisted.

"He's back," Lulu said slowly.  "But……"

-------------------------

Author's notes

1—I know, I left you guys hangin'.  You'll find out what "But…." means shortly.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—I decided to do something different with this.  I've never tried a first-person dream narrative before.  It's not perfect, but I hope I did it justice.

4—Full Circle, my other fic, is now on the back burner.  For some reason I have writers block even though I know exactly what I'm supposed to write.  It's just not coming to me for some strange reason.  But don't worry, it'll be back.  Sometime…maybe.

6—Thanks for the support guys!!


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Yuna stared in stunned silence.  

She had just stepped through the door to the crusader's hut.  The candle-light was burning low as five figures huddled around a vague shape on a cot.  Yuna recognized him immediately.  _Tidus_, her mind lulled.  

Slowly she began to walk toward the bed.  _Oh my God_, she thought to herself.  _He looks like Hell_.  His skin, which was usually tanned bronze, was completely pale.  To Yuna, he seemed to have lost about twenty pounds.  He looked frail and fragile, as if a strong wind could almost break him in half.  He had half a dozen scratches and gashes all over his body, blood still running from many of them.

She reached out and grabbed his hand.  There was no movement except for the long, wheezing, deep breaths that his lungs took.   Yuna started to feel the hot tears build up in the corners of her eyes.  She blinked and they came rushing down her cheeks.  She sniffed as she used the other hand to wipe them away.  She opened her mouth to speak, but no words could come out.  Yuna then paused a few minutes to get a hold of herself before trying again.

"How long," she managed to say, "has he been like this?"

"Bout' an hour," Wakka replied slowly.  

"Have you tried potions?  Elixirs?" she asked, her emotions shrouding her voice.

"Ya, I don't think it did much good," Wakka responded.   "We called the doctor from Kilika.  He's coming on the boat tomorrow morning.  Maybe he can do something ya?"

Yuna didn't respond, but only wiped away another set of tears.  Then slowly, she fell to her knees, still holding on to the hand of the man she loved.  She put her other hand on his chest, and then buried her face in the sheet covering the cot and then let the tears come.  She couldn't hold them back anymore.

"Come," Lulu said, turning to Wakka and the others.  "Let's leave her alone."

One by one everyone turned and followed Lulu's lead.  

---

Actually, it was the next afternoon before the physician arrived at Besaid.  

Yuna didn't sleep at all that night.  For a couple of hours, she remained as everyone left her, one hand in Tidus', one hand on his chest, and crying into the night.  It wasn't until Rikku brought in a chair for her did she move, that being well after sunrise.  The man of Yuna's dream, no, Yuna's dream itself, had returned to her.  That was all that mattered.  She had absolute faith that Tidus would come out of this, and then they could be happy again.  She could be happy again.  Her life would come back to her.  It would have meaning again.  Maybe this could be the start of a better direction for her.  All of her regrets in the past two years, and all of her bad decisions, maybe she would have the strength to do something about it now.  Maybe she would even take back the position of Besaid Representative.  

Whatever she decided to do, she would have him by her side.  Always.

And she cried for that.

----

"We'll, he is torn up quite a bit ain't he?"  The elderly man with glasses spoke.  Yuna was standing back watching the doctor's every move.  Normally, the older doctor wanted to be alone with the patient while doing an assessment.  However he wouldn't dare to ask Yuna to leave.  She probably would if she was asked, but it was obvious that she wasn't going to leave his side for long.  Plus, she was high summoner Yuna.  He would feel a little out of place asking someone of her prestige to leave the room.  

"Hmmm." He muttered to himself.  I'm going to have to stitch that gash on his leg up."  Now he was running his fingers over Tidus' arms feeling for broken bones, fractures, or anything out of the ordinary.  He moved his hands up to Tidus' face, then his forehead, and then the side of his head.

Tidus let out a groan.  When the doctor withdrew his fingers, the tips were red with blood.  "What do we have here?"  He bent over the body swaying his light blonde hair to get a better look.

"We'll, overall, he's going to live.  He's in a light coma, due to malnourishment, a head wound, or both.  I've got some Al Bhed IV's in him so he can get his fluids replenished.  I'm going to have to give him some stitches, and clean his wounds.  There is a chance that his head wound could cause slight brain damage, or maybe some other ill effects.  But we won't know that until he wakes up."

"When will that be doctor?" Yuna asked.  

"Hard to say.  I don't think it should be very long, a day, maybe two."

He paused as he looked around the room.  It seemed like everyone in the village was here, and everyone was expecting better news than what he was giving them.  _Sometimes I hate being a doctor_, he thought absent-mindedly.

"I've done all I can.  You just have to wait and see if he comes out of it."

"I know he will." Yuna said, barely above a whisper.  "He is strong.  He is going to come out of this."

----

That was two days ago.  

And now as the sun sat on yet another hot Besaid day, a new feeling started to descend upon the town.  It was called doubt.  When the news hit that Tidus had returned, electricity started to run rampant all over Spira.  After the first day, everyone began to stop by the crusader hut, to either pay respect, comfort Yuna, or just to see him with his or her own eyes.

Tidus, the man, the blitz player, the legendary guardian, was alive.  Many had to see it to believe it.  And a lot of people stopped by to believe.  In many ways it was tiring for Yuna.  She has never left his side since his return.  She hardly slept, and when she did it was a light sleep.  And now with the last little bit of the daylight draining out of the room, she was dozing off in her chair next to his bed, still holding onto his hand.

"Hmmmmmm." Tidus' moaned again.

Yuna heard his groan but still tried to hang onto her loose threads of sleep.  She didn't stir until she heard Tidus again, but this time, it wasn't an unintelligible moan, it was Tidus talking.  

"Water," she heard in a raspy voice.

Immediately Yuna's eyes shot open and her heart felt like it exploded, shooting pure adrenalin into her veins.  

"Tidus!!" she screamed.  "Tidus!!"  

"Water," was his only response.

She quickly reached on the nightstand that had half a pitcher of water and a couple of cups.  In her frantic motions she almost tipped over the pitcher, but was able to recover it with her other hand.

"Here," she said putting the cup in his hands.  Tidus was obviously too weak to drink it, so she pressed the cup to his lips.  He spat up the first drink, but then managed to swallow the rest.

"Thanks," he whispered while opening his eyes slowly.  "Thanks."

"Oh Tidus, I've missed you so much," Yuna started.   "I always knew you'd come back.  I felt that you were out there somewhere.  I'm so glad you've come back to me.  I know I probably don't look the same but, I swear, I'm the same person.  Its just….It's just been two years, and, and everyone thought you were dead.  Two years, Tidus."

She reached down and touched his face, combing a strand of his blond hair out of the way trying to gaze into his bright blue eyes.  "I've missed you so much."

Tidus' gaze locked into Yuna's eyes.  "Where am I?' he asked when he found his breath again.

"You're in the Crusader's hut in Besaid.  Rikku found you three days ago.  Everyone's going to be so excited when I tell them that you've woken up.  I still can't really believe it myself.  I've missed you so much."

Tidus reached up and grabbed her hand, looking into her blue and green eyes.  All he saw was Yuna, smiling, with tears of joy starting to flow down her cheeks.  He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again, not knowing the words.

After a few second's hesitation he opened his mouth again to ask the question he felt he needed to ask:

"Who are you?"

For about ten seconds, neither one of them spoke or moved.  And then, ever so slightly Yuna's face looked as if every muscle had become loose.  It was the look of heartbreak, confusion, and her heart shattering into a thousand pieces.    

-------------------------

Author's notes

1—No, I don't hate Yuna, contrary to popular belief.  I'm just giving her a hard time for now.  Bright things are in store for her sometime down the line.

2—Yuna extremely depressed and Tidus and amnesiac?  What am I on?  Find out next chapter.

3—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

4—Ok, I know exactly where this thing is going to go now, and I think it's gonna be pretty good. I hope so anyway.

5—This week/months recommended reading: Memories of Water, by IceWolf645.  A most excellent story, that is now completed.

6—Thanks for the support guys!!


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

A Few Days Later…

The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore was soothing.  Somewhere out towards the sea, a flock of gulls cried.  The sea breeze was just right, cooling you, but not blowing your hair everywhere.  

It relaxed him.  

Tidus had been sitting out here, taking in the sun, the view of the ocean, and the events of the past few days.  And he was still trying to figure things out.  He had absolutely no memory before waking up three days ago.  The more he tried, the more it eluded him, just like a dream that you fast forget when you wake in the morning, but you desperately try to remember.  With every passing moment, more and more fades.  When he first tried to remember he would get flashes of memory.  A city at night, a couple of faces, a building or two.  But now, everything had grown fuzzy to the point to where he could safely say that he can't remember anything.

He had also wondered how he was able to remember how to talk, how to walk, how to brush his teeth and how to fit in with a crowd, but he had no memory of who he was.  The doctor had said that there were three types of memory: episodic, procedural, and functional memory, with episodic memory was the one that was frizzing out.  "Probably due to the head trauma," he had said.  Tidus reached up to touch the right side of his head, which is now clean and bandaged.  Pain suddenly shot through his system and he pulled his hand away quickly.

Footsteps were coming up behind him.

He let out a little sigh and it floated out into the ocean.  He knew it was her, _Yuna_.  The other girl, _What's her name?  Ah, Rikku_, he thought.  Rikku had left yesterday on a boat with a bunch of people.  She said she was an Al Bhed Representative, or something like that.  Those were hollow words to Tidus.  She had seemed devastated when she knew that he had no memory, but not nearly as crushed as Yuna.  

He felt a tap on his shoulder.  He turned up to see Yuna smiling downward at him.  "May I sit down?"

"Sure," Tidus replied, scooting over to make room for her at the end of the dock.  

For a few seconds neither one spoke.  They only sat there waiting for the other one to start.  It was Tidus who broke the proverbial ice.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Hmm," Yuna started.  "I suppose."

Tidus let another sigh escape him.

"I'm sorry," he finally said.

"For what?" Yuna replied.

"That I'm not who you expected me to be.  That I can't remember anything.  That I got your hopes up."

"No," Yuna said.  "You have nothing to be sorry about.  It is not your fault.  Besides, you are who I expected to you to be, just not the way I expected you.  That's all.  Also, I know that at least you're alive.  That means more to me than you can ever know.  I just wished you did know."

"Yuna," Tidus started, unsure of how to proceed.  "Were we in love?"

Yuna bowed her head and looked at the rushing water below her feet.  "I was," she said.  "And I think we both were."

"I just really wished you knew what we had, and what we were," she continued.  "And just, for once, my dream came true, that you came back, but you don't know me.  You don't know the way we felt for each other.  You may not even feel the same way to me that you once did.  That hurts, you know?  That we were together, but now you probably don't even feel anything to me.  But it's not your fault.  Remember that, please?"

"Sure," Tidus said.  "But I want you to remember something too."

"Ok"

"Remember to not give up on me yet.  You don't seem like the kind of girl that gives in easily.  I think you are more determined than that.  You know, that old doc told us something that we could do that could probably help."

"Mmm-hmmm." Yuna said while nodding her head remembering what he said.  "He said to put you in positions that might spark a memory.  Or maybe tell you things that you did, and maybe a memory will come back."

"Yeah," Tidus said enthusiastically.  "And he said usually if one memory comes back, then it will open a floodgate of others.

"Mmm," Yuna thought.  "Hey, I have an idea."

"Yeah?"

"I know every weekend or so, the elders usually get together around the campfire in town."

"Every weekend or so?" Tidus said with a puzzled look on his face.  He distinctly remembers seeing a few townspeople out next to the fire every night since he's been back.

"We'll, that fire is usually always going, and usually somebody is out there every night, hanging out by it.  But usually every weekend or so the elders get together to tell the story of the Eternal Calm."

"The what?" Tidus asked.

"Eternal Calm.  Actually, the story leading up to it.  The story of my pilgrimage.  My story, and your story too."

"Just mine and yours?"  Something about a bunch of elders around a campfire talking about the story of him and his supposed girlfriend didn't enthuse Tidus much.

"Well, the story of how we beat Sin.  Me, you, Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, Auron, and Kimahri." Yuna explained.

"Ahh," Tidus said.  "Wait, who are those last two?  Auron and Cimario?"

"No, Kimahri.  Another one of my guardians."

"Guardians?" Tidus asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yes," Yuna answered.  "I think you should hear the story of the Eternal Calm.  It will tell you who you are, and what we've done."

----

Tidus glared at himself.  Only his other self didn't glare back.  He just stood there looking outward with his sword in hand.  He looked almost exactly like Tidus did, other than the fact that he was chiseled in stone.  

_So I used this sword_, Tidus thought to himself looking at the greenish-blue blade that was in the statue's hands.  _I don't even know if I can use a sword anymore. _ For the past three days Tidus was experiencing a certain feeling.  He couldn't place his finger on it until just a few seconds ago, staring up at his stone statue.  _Helplessness_, he thought.  _I have this strange sense of helplessness, and there's nothing I can do about it.  _

"Hmph." Tidus said aloud to himself and his statue.  "I'll figure it all out, just you wait."  With that, he turned and walked out of the temple towards the campfire. 

It was time for the telling of the Legend of the Eternal Calm.

It seemed as if the entire population of Besaid was gathered around the campfire.  Adults were sitting together, talking, laughing and enjoying the late evening.  Children were running around throwing some kind of large blue ball at each other.  A couple of adolescents were stocking the fire, kicking some burning embers into the air.  It was a pleasant scene, and Tidus had to give a slight smile.  _Maybe I don't know what happened to me, but I think I ended up in a great place._

Yuna saw him and started waving her arms.  

"Excuse me," Tidus said as he started making his way up through the seated people, who were more than happy to make way for him.  

"Hey," Yuna said as he finally reached her.  "Take a seat."  Tidus promptly sat next to her and took a look around.  Some of the faces he saw he recognized, and others he didn't.  Lulu and Wakka were sitting on a blanket a little bit closer to the fire.  Wakka noticed Tidus' gaze and waved his hand.  Tidus waved back.  He couldn't help but smile.  _Yeah, I definitely ended up in a great place._

"It is time," one of the village elders began.  Immediately the quiet whisperings and the laughing of children ceased.  "Now we begin the telling of the Legend of the Eternal Calm."

The elder paced back and forth in front of the fire, his voice bellowing out so that everyone could hear him.

"Rampant for a thousand years,   
A great terror arose from the deep,  
It swept across the land and sea,  
A lone soul still lingers,  
Destiny and dreams cannot be denied,  
A will grows stronger,  
To the spiral of death,  
Across time, space, and love,  
The journey begins..."

Yuna reached over and grabbed Tidus' hand.  At first he was shocked, wanting nothing more but to shake it off.  However he then decided to stay as it is.  _She's waited long enough for this_, he thought.  _I'll let her have this moment._

"It all began," the elder continued "with a normal blitzball practice by the Besaid Aurochs.  A stray ball went deep into the water off of the shore.  There it struck a limp, lifeless figure.  Many thought he was already dead.  That is until the figure moved, stirred, and rose up.  That figure's name is Tidus, hero from another world, legendary guardian to be.  And he is where this story starts…"

-------------------------

Author's notes

1—Ok, so that chapter was pretty boring, but things are going to pick up pretty soon.

2—Next chapter I will do something to shock you all, so get ready.

3—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft

4—Trey-Loose, I know I jump around a bit, I did a little in this chapter, but I'm trying to do better.  Fire Rules, yeah, I know what you mean. heh

5—This week/months recommended reading: Akin to Sin, by No One.  The best character-insertion fic I've read so far.

6—Thanks for the support guys!!


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Somewhere in Bevelle:

A nervous young man stepped into a dimly lit office.  The room itself was immensely furnished which added to the grandness of the room.  There were expensive lamps, exquisite rugs, and large, black satin curtains that partially concealed a huge picture window.  In the middle of the room, pressed all the way to the back, was a man in a dark cloak sitting behind a desk.  Even though he knew the man well, being one of his most trusted confidants, he still felt a little uneasy.  He swallowed to clear his throat and speak.  

"You called for me my lord?"

"Yes, yes I did Abel," the man with the fiery red hair and the dark cloak answered.  He had a calm and collective stature, and an essence of power to him.   "How are you this evening?" he asked.

"Fine my Lord.  What is it that you wish to speak to me about at such an hour?"

The man then rose from his desk, allowing his presence and aura to grow larger.  He answered Abel in one word: 

"Progress."

"Progress?" Abel questioned.

"Draw your allies close, because the hour is at hand."  He then turned and faced the large picture window that showed all of Bevelle, with its lights shining and its dark streets still crowded way into the night.  He seemed lost in thought, pondering the possibilities and endless power he could have, if all goes as planned.  Abel had to shudder.  Then abruptly the man said: "It is time to initiate phase two."

"Already my Lord?" Abel questioned.  "Do you not think that it is too soon?"

"No," he swiftly replied.  "Have you not heard the news?"

"Are you referring to the events on Besaid Island?  Of course I have."

"Do you not see the implications?"

Abel had no reply.  

"If he is back, then surely she will be back too."

"Yuna?  But she never went anywhere," the young man said, puzzled.

"Yes she did," he continued, still staring out the window into the night.  "She went away, not physically, but mentally.  She was the reason my position exists.  She is the cause of this plan.  What we are to accomplish, could have been hers at one point.  But she declined it, because she went away.  And now that Tidus has returned, it could, lets say, rejuvinate her."

"But sir, even if it did, the election won't be held for another three years.  She would have to wait that long.  By then our plan will have been completed.  I don't think she poses any threat."

The man behind the desk sighed and looked down.

"Abel, your lack of hypothetical thinking displeases me."

This time the man moved from behind the desk.  He walked casually and persuasively right next to Abel, placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder.  "Abel, all she would have to do is to ask for the Besaid Representative position, and Letty, as incompetent as he is, would surely step aside.  What did Yuna say when she stepped down initially?"

"My heart wasn't in it," Abel replied.

"Yes, and now her heart has returned to her.  Letty is dense and easily manipulated.  For the love of Yevon, he was once an _athlete_. Or even better, he's easily blinded and would follow the others in the Assembly without reason.  Yuna however, would not be dissuaded by what is about to happen, she would not follow the crowd.  Her and her cousin, that idiotic excuse for the Al Bhed Representative, would surely use common sense when our time is at hand.  They would never go along with it.  Yuna could even persuade the others; she does have a way with people.  Yes my friend, Yuna is a clear threat to us, and what we are becoming.  So we must make haste, before she decides to ask for the Besaid Representative position back.  I could delay the Assembly, but not for long.  We must start Phase Two, and we must start it tomorrow morning.  Get word to our allies, and to our scientists.  Great things are in store for us Abel.  Yuna unwillingly set the stage for our kingdom here on Spira."

"Yes my Lord," the man said before turning to leave.  "Yes Lord Luzzu."

-------------------------

Author's notes

1—Ok, before the flames start, let me explain.  Luzzu is not evil, just corrupted by power and potential.  I will explain these things, and what made him change in later chapters.  I had to pick Luzzu because of how I referred to him before (Grand Marshall of the United Representative of Spira.)  And just so you know…..Luzzu is alive, or at least in my save file.  Just to clear up any confusion, during the game before the Battle of Mi'Ihen, you can control the fate of Luzzu and Gatta based on your decisions.  I think you have to talk to Gatta twice and pick the bottom option both times, but I'm not exactly sure.  Anyway, the way I played it out, Luzzu survived and Gatta died in battle.  That's how this fic is based on.

2—I own all of the names, characters, and Final Fantasy X stuff, or at least what is in my copy of the game.  

3—But Squaresoft holds the patents, so I have to say that this is their property

4—Next chapter?  Back to Tidus/Yuna/Wakka/Lulu.  Kimahri and Auron are in this story too…somewhere; you have to guess where.

5—Thanks again for the support, no more shockers, I swear.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

A Few Days Later

Nobody spoke.  The two once powerful warriors stood there staring at each other, faces locked in determination.  If any passerby or other ship passenger saw the scene, many would think that a brawl was about to begin.  One looked at the other, and the other looked back.  One had a look on its face of intimidation, but that was nothing new to the blue Ronso.  The other had a strange look of recognition, which surprised everyone, including himself.

Finally Tidus spoke:  "Kimahri."

The tall, brute warrior descended down the ramp of the SS Liki onto the pier.  "Kimahri glad to see you again."  Kimahri then balled his fist up, and tapped Tidus on the shoulder.  "Good to know you still live."

"Thanks Kimahri."

At this point, Lulu intervened.  Her face was more pale than usual, and her brow was coated in sweat.  Wakka had told her that she shouldn't have came to the docks, that Kimahri would stop by their hut when he arrived.  He almost insisted that she go back when she repeatedly had to rest on the trail to the beach.  However even that couldn't sway Lulu from trudging out to see her old friend from Gagazet.  

"Did you recognize him?" she asked Tidus.

"No, I knew him from the story," Tidus answered.  "The big and powerful blue fighter," he quoted.  "He just looked like that type."

"Oh," she said obviously disheartened.

It's been a rough few days for Tidus.  He has been trying to remember things that were once his past.  At some times, he almost seemed as if he could snag an elusive memory, but soon the moment passes and he comes up empty handed.  Another thing that has been bothering him recently is expectations.  His first thought after hearing the Legend of the Eternal Calm was: _Oh wow, I'm a hero._  

It's kind of hard to live up to that, especially when you don't even know how to start.  Usually he has been trying to be himself, to act on his own feelings and do what feels natural.  But often he feels as if those actions fall short.  Now Tidus is at the point that if he passes the statue of himself, he is convinced that isn't him, just merely someone who resembles him.  

And then there's Yuna.  He knew that at some point his old self felt attraction, and maybe even love towards the ex-summoner.  But he is having a hard time feeling that now.  Whenever they go out, the appear just like they are now: Yuna is holding onto his hand.  Part of him enjoys it, but still part of him doesn't really know how to feel about it, or her for that matter.  Whenever Tidus looks into those blue and green eyes, something inside of him is pulled towards her as if a magnet started pulling a piece of metal.  That feeling tells him that once, at some point, he had to have loved her.  She still loves him, but he doesn't know if he should love her.  _After all_, he thought, _I don't really know a thing about her._

Still though, he has no major complaints about the life that is set before him.  He has a pretty girl who loves him, friends who are more like family, he is adored by women, respected by most men, and his home, Besaid, is the best small-town (or village) life he could ever want.  But something deep down inside still tells him that he shouldn't get too complacent.  

And here on a dock with Kimahri, a new best friend who came all the way down from come place called Gagazet to see him, made things all the better.

Suddenly a group of people rushed by him and his old friend to form a cheering crowd.  As he looked past Kimahri's shoulders he heard Yuna gasp.

"Woah," Tidus heard Wakka say in his distinct island accent.  "It's Luzzu."  As Tidus stepped to the side he could see a group of eight people walking down the boat ramp.  The man in the middle was tall, dressed in a black robe, and had a strong presence about him.  He also had his eyes fixated on Tidus, but Tidus did not waver.  

"Ah, Sir Tidus," the figure started.  "I cannot explain how great it is to see you alive again.  Surely the world turns in your favor right?"

Tidus waited a few seconds before responding, with his eyes still in a deadlock with Luzzu's.

"I'm afraid I don't know you," he finally said.  "Tidus," he said as he extended his hand to introduce himself.  This was a reaction that Luzzu or the crowd obviously didn't expect.  

"Tidus," Yuna said with a hint of surprise in her voice.  "This is Luzzu, remember?"

"No I don't," was his harsh response.  "But it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you as well," Luzzu said taking his hand and shaking.  _His palm is warm and sweaty_, Tidus thought to himself.  _Is this a way that the Grand Marshall is supposed to be when he is introduced?   He must be a poor politician_.

"What brings you back to Besaid," Yuna said, obviously trying to ease the tension.

"I had to see Tidus with my own eyes." Luzzu said.  "I still couldn't believe that he was alive, after all everyone has been through.  But it seems as if all of the rumors are true.  Also I…"

"Ahh!!" Lulu screamed as her knees buckled, and then slowly sank to the sandy dock.  

"Lu, wha's wrong?" Wakka asked immediately coming up to her side.

"I think," she said in between gasps.  "I think its time Wakka."

"What you mean?" he said a moment before a light went off in Wakka's head.  "Oh the baby??"

"What else do you think I mean?" Lulu answered, practically sitting on the sandy dock.   "Yes.  You're about to become a dad."

"Quick," Luzzu said turning to one of his aides.  "Mangus, you're a doctor.  Help her if you can."

The stern, balding man, who looked more like a mercenary than a doctor stepped forward to examine Lulu.  There was something intimidating about this man, Tidus thought.  Something deep inside of his soul already didn't trust him. "Her water broke," Mangus finally said in a gruff voice.  "We have to get her laying down."

"We'll let's get her to the village," Wakka said leaning down to attend to his wife, nervousness ringing in his voice.   He was a little shaky and seemed to be going a million miles a second. Everyone motioned around Lulu, who just started the first part of a very long labor.  Everyone except Tidus, who remained in the back, still looking at Luzzu from a short distance.  He didn't know why, but a thought hung around in the back of his mind he couldn't avoid and he had to come back to.  _I don't trust him_.  It was ludicrous he knew, because he had only met the guy.  But there still was that voice in his head, which really didn't sound much like his voice.  It sounded older, more mature, and raspier.  It sounded like his…._father?_ he thought.  _But I don't remember my father_.  But still, it was a thought he couldn't shake.

Thirty-three hours later

There were screams that flowed from the next room.  Tidus tried to not think about them, instead he looked around the room to take his mind off what was going on.  The waiting area was pretty small, even for a village this size.  He saw Yuna in the chair next to him, with her head placed on his shoulder sleeping soundly.  He saw Wakka laying down in the floor, lack of sleep and nervousness finally forcing him to succumb to sleep about an hour ago.  He was completely oblivious to the screams.  The more Tidus tried to not think about them, the more he couldn't help it.  The screams came from Lulu.

She had been in labor for thirty-three hours now.  It took the doctor from Kilika thirteen of those hours to get here, and for the past twenty hours he and that Mangus guy has been coaching her through a tough labor.  At one point, he decided to go ahead with a C-section birth.  He quickly shied away from that when he got a blast of Thundaga when his surgical knife touched her skin.  Although Lulu repeatedly apologized, claiming that it was just innate reflexes that came out, the doctor still opted for natural childbirth.

And now, many hours later, he was starting to regret that decision.  And when things seemed their bleakest, the contractions started varying signaling that something different was about to happen. 

But Tidus was still hearing the screaming.  However this time it seemed different.  It seemed as if there were two screams:  Lulu's, and another higher pitched screaming.  _Or more like crying_, he thought.  He immediately kicked Wakka's shoulder lightly with his foot.

"Wakka," he said.  The coach didn't move or even show any signs of being awake.

"Wakka!" he said louder this time while tapping his head with his foot.  Yuna stirred, raising up from his shoulder.

"Hmmm?" Wakka said as he raised his head up off of the floor.  "Ya?"

"It's happening man, get in there."

For a few seconds Wakka's expression didn't change.  But then his eyes lit up and he jumped up as quickly as he could.  "Wha?  Now?"

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "Get in there."

Wakka scurried into the room as fast as he could, waking Yuna up in the process.

"What's going on?" she asked still dreary and disoriented from waking up.

"I think Lulu and Wakka are now parents," he responded. 

As Wakka walked in to the delivery room he saw Lulu, with the lower half or her body spotted in blood.  He saw a nurse trying to clean the place up.  He saw the doctor asking Lulu some questions.  And he saw his wife, glaring at him as he walked in.  She had a bundle in her arms.

Chappu came into the world at a healthy twelve pounds and 17 ounces at 6:30 in the morning.

---

Author's notes:

1—As I was trying to brainstorm for names for Wakka and Lulu's child, it only seemed natural that they would name their child after Chappu.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Sorry about the lack of updates, that whole holiday stuff really threw my free time into a loop.  But I'll keep the chapters churning out.

4—Told you Kimahri was in here.

6—Thanks again for the support people.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

_I love Besaid nights_, Tidus thought absently to himself.

There was only a fingernail moon tonight so a canopy of stars lighted the sky.  He couldn't help but gaze upwards in awe at the sheer magnitude of what he was seeing.  In the not-so-far distance he heard the sound of the waves crashing.  Suddenly a tingling sensation etched across the back of Tidus' mind.  _Water, slip of moon, canopy of stars_.  Something was bubbling right below the surface: a memory wanting to come through.  Tidus closed his eyes and tried to concentrate.  _Water, fingernail moon, canopy of stars…Yuna?_

"Ahem," he heard behind him, shaking him out of his trance-like state.  He tried to grasp at the memory one last time, as if waving a small net at a butterfly.  But he came up empty-handed, as he always does.

"You all right?" she asked, obviously concerned.

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "Just waiting on you.  I almost fell asleep."

He turned to face his supposed girlfriend.  She was wearing one of her purplish skirts with a sleeveless white shirt with purple stars, similar to the design on her trademark dresses.  Her face was steady, as she was trying to gauge what Tidus was saying was the truth.  Finally she broke into a wide grin. "You're not trying to mess with me are you?"

"No, I would never tease a senator," he said.  "I'd be much too frightened."

"Ex-senator you mean," she corrected him.

"Sorry," he said, but his tone really didn't convey it.

"I apologize for being late.  I was with Lulu and I lost track of time."

"How is she?" Tidus asked.

"She's better.  After all, she did go through thirty three hours of labor."

"Yeah," Tidus said.  "I'm surprised she hasn't slept most of the past three days.  Hey, can I ask something?"

"Sure, anything you want," she replied gazing at him in the moonlight.

"Why did you ask me out here tonight?"

Yuna hesitated before saying "Nothing.  I just wanted to take a walk and wanted you to join me."

Tidus had a suspicious feeling that there was something more to it than that.  "Ok," he said, trying to play off his thoughts.  "Let's walk."  With that they headed towards the beach.

After a while of petty chitchat Tidus asked something that had interested him for the past three days.

"Why did they name him Chappu?" he said, rather abruptly.

Yuna sighed.  "Chappu was Wakka's brother, and Lulu's first love."

"What??" Tidus exclaimed, obviously surprised that somebody would end up marrying the brother of their first love.  It just didn't seem normal.  "Is that true?"

"Yes," Yuna replied rather sharply.

"Hmmm, no wonder I haven't heard of him" Tidus said, thinking out loud rather than talking.  "He must still have hard feelings for Wakka, right?"

"No," Yuna said in the same manner as her previous response.  "He," she hesitated.  "He's dead."

"Oh," Tidus said.  "Sorry."

"No, its all right." She said, still looking down towards her blue dress.  "Just don't make that mistake around them."

"So much I don't know," Tidus said absently.

They walked a bit in silence letting that last thought sink in.  It was a while before Yuna spoke up.  "Hey, there's the dock." She said as she pointed to her left.  "Let's go out to the edge."

Tidus sat down next to her as she leaned next to him and put her hand on his leg.  "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."  Yuna said after a few minutes of silence.  Tidus' stomach started to knot up, not expecting what she was about to say.  "It's about Luzzu."  A wave of relief passed over him.  For a moment he thought it was something serious.

"Yes?" he said

"Why did you act the way you did around him?"

"I don't know," he replied.

He hesitated before continuing.  "I just didn't get a good feel from him.  Something inside of me told me 'Don't trust this guy.'  I know it's weird, and I don't know why I feel that way.  It doesn't even feel like a part of me that said it.  I don't know," He finally said abruptly.

"Hmmm," Yuna said pondering this.  "That is rather strange.  He was apart of the pilgrimage, if only a minor part.  We kept running into him, and then, the battle of Mi'ihen."

Yuna paused, allowing the sadness to sweep over her momentarily.  That battle, with all the lives lost, brought so many bad feelings for Yuna even now.  That was the battle that Gatta had died in.  Although she and Gatta were not extremely close, it was still a tough loss.  She couldn't even imagine what that had felt like to Luzzu, taking the boy in like his own son.  Mi'ihen was definitely one of the darker moments of her journey.

Tidus turned to look at her as her face turned grim.  He realized then how beautiful she really was.  The partial moonlight was shimmering off of the water below, lighting her features.  _She looks different now_, he thought to himself.  _When I first arrived here, she looked worn, mature, and more serious than she does now.  Now she looks vibrant and full of life.  She almost looks younger, if that's even possible.  _He paused his thoughts just to gaze at her.  _She looks beautiful_.  Yuna finally snapped out of her momentary reminiscing to see Tidus staring at her.  

"What?" she asked.  

"What??,' she asked again playfully nudging him in the ribs.  

Without warning Tidus leaned over and kissed her.  At first Yuna was surprised, so much so that she didn't close her eyes for a few seconds.  Then she gave in and enjoyed the moment.  Within seconds they had escalated a bit, with Yuna's hand running up to his shoulders, then behind him, all the way to the small of his back.  Somewhere in the depths of her mind a thought kicked in and she pulled back, but only a few inches.  His face was still inches away from hers.  She could feel his breath in ragged gasps running down her shoulders, mingling with her hair.  

"Someone could be watching," she said hesitantly.

"Then we'll have to go somewhere else," he answered.

Somewhere, Yuna found the strength to stand up.  Her legs felt like warm butter and her balance seemed significantly off.   Looking down on Tidus in this light, she couldn't help but think of the night at Macalania Lake.  She put her hand out.  Tidus grabbed it as she helped him up.

"Follow me," she said leading him back off of the pier towards the village.

A few hours later…

They were breathing at the same time.  The rise and fall of their chest were synonymous with each other.  She was locked in his arms right beside him, breathing heavily, recovering.  They stayed this way for a few minutes just enjoying each other's embrace, warmth, and the feel of each other's skin on their own.  Outside the color of the sky was changing as the stars were disappearing one by one.  Their clothes were strewn all over the room.  Tidus didn't know what time it was, but he couldn't sleep now if he wanted to.

His movement startled her.  "Sorry," Tidus said as he moved.  "I have to go to the little boys room."

"Hurry back," she said, her voice still flustered and strained.  As he got up from the bed and started to walk towards the hall she couldn't keep her gaze off of him.  Yuna couldn't believe what had just happened.  As soon as Tidus left the room she giggled to herself.  It had seemed as if the past few hours were a dream and that she was about to wake up.  As she stretched out on the bed, she couldn't help but think how her life has taken a dramatic turn.  How finally, after all these years, she's happy again.  She heard water running down the hall.  Her man had returned to her, and it was more wonderful than anything she had ever imagined.

Suddenly she had a startling thought as she raised up off of the bed.  "Tidus," she yelled.  Her only reply was the continuously running water.  "The vanity," she shouted.  "It hangs over the sink a bit.  Watch your head."

"What?" she heard him call.  Almost simultaneously she heard a loud _thunk_ followed by Tidus yelling "Oww!!"

She giggled again.  _I suppose I better go and check on him_, she thought.  She wrapped the blanket around her body as she walked slowly and painfully down the hall.

"Are you alright?" she said between giggles as she stepped into the dim bathroom.  She saw Tidus standing there, staring directly into the mirror.

"Do you see that?" he asked, still looking at the mirror.

"Yeah," she replied, turning her gaze to the mirror as well.  "And it's the most handsome man I've ever seen.  What do you see?" she said still laughing.

"A city" he said, suddenly serious.  "A huge city."

Suddenly he jumped back looking all around the room.  The images he saw in the mirror were now swirling about him now.  Buildings, people, faces.  Except now when he saw them, they had significance.  He could tell who these people were and what his relationship to them was.  He blinked his eyes as more images came.  His coach, a blitzball game, Auron, and his father.

"Are you all-right?  Tidus?" Yuna said, worry all over her voice.

""I'm…I'm," he started.  "I'm remembering things."

-------

"So then I remember Auron," Tidus said, his voice echoing in the early morning.  "He was wishing me good luck.  He said 'concentrate on the opponent.  Figure out his weakness, then exploit it.'  I remember going to the game…"

Yuna was sitting on the edge of the bathtub listening very intently for the past hour.  The only thing she could think about is that his hit on the head caused him to regain his memories.  It made sense to her, but still something didn't seem right.  That's why she asked him to tell her everything he remembered before Rikku found him in the jungle next to Besaid.  

"I remember making my way through the crowd," he continued.  "Being in the locker room, and the opening whistle.  We were all tied up," he said.  "I went up for the game winning shot, and then….Sin.  Sin appeared.  It appeared and started tearing up the place.  I remember falling.  I remember Auron.  He was there.  He gave me a sword that he said my old man gave to me.  I remember running through the streets, fighting these weird creatures.  I remember a building toppling over, almost killing us. I remember being sucked up into Sin.  I remember thinking that I was going to die.  And then I remember thinking of my dad, I don't know why.  And then I remember waking up in the Crusaders' hut.  And staring into the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen.  That's it." He said climactically.  "That's the last thing that I remember."

Yuna just stood there in stunned silence.  Many different thoughts raced through her mind, but she couldn't sort through any of them.  "This isn't right," she said aloud.  After a few more seconds she said "What about Sin, our battle with Sin?  Spira, Lulu, Seymore?  Anything?"

"No," Tidus said aloud.  "Nothing.  I don't know.  Why shouldn't I remember this?"

He waited for an answer from Yuna, but he didn't get one.

"Macalania Lake?" she said, with a hint of hope in her voice.

"No," he replied dejectedly.

After a minute of silence he got up.  "I'm going to put some clothes on, and go to the hut."

"You're going to leave me here?"  Inadvertently she pulled her blanket around her tighter.  "I think we need to talk about this."

"Not right now," he replied.  "I need to think."  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  "I'll see you tomorrow."

---

Tidus stepped out in the street.  The sky was a flood of colors toward the east as the sun was just below the surface.  But Tidus didn't care.  He almost hesitated, remembering that he forgot his necklace on Yuna's nightstand.  After a brief hesitation he decided he would come back for it tomorrow, _today_, he reminded himself.  He walked down the deserted street towards his hut lost in thought.  Of all this time trying to remember, he finally can.  However it seems more of a curse then a blessing.  It had ruined a perfect night.  He was so lost in thought that he almost didn't notice the movement on the right side of the street, next to a small alley.  At first Tidus didn't really pay any attention, but then curiosity got the better of him.  He quickened his pace and looked down the alleyway.  He saw another blur of movement go around a hut.  _Go_, a part of his mind beckoned him.  Tidus broke out into a run.  As he turned the corner back towards Yuna's hut he saw a man looking at him straight in the face.  Then the man turned around and disappeared into the forest.  Tidus slowed to a halt.  He knew he couldn't catch the man through the dense jungle.  _That guy,_ he thought.  _He kinda looked like Mangus._  He was holding on to something next to his chest, protecting it in some way.  He closed his eyes to remember what Mangus looked like.  The stern, balding man that was traveling with Luzzu.  He called him a First Liutenant, even though he looked more like a mercenary.  _No, _Tidus thought.  _That was most definitely Mangus.  _

Puzzled, he took one last glance into the forest and turned away.  In his chase he had actually backtracked past Yuna's hut.  As he walked by it he noticed that the lights were still on.  _Maybe I'll stop by and get my necklace after all.  _

He knocked on door, but there was no response.  He knocked again.  _Oh well_, he thought, taking a step away from the door.  But then he heard something inside.  It sounded like Yuna's voice.  _Who would she be talking to?_  He knocked again.

"Who is it?"

"Tidus," he said.  "I forgot my necklace."

The door swung open slowly revealing a very tattered-looking Yuna..  She had an Al Bhed instant voice sphere in one hand and a tissue in the other.  One look and Tidus could tell that she was crying.  Suddenly his stomach sank.  "What's wrong?" he asked.

She sniffed before answering.

"It's Lulu.  She's on the sphere."  She hesitated again.  "Chappu…"

Tidus put his arm on her shoulder.  "Calm down," he said.  "What is it?"

"Chappu's gone!" she blurted out.  "Someone took him.  And Lulu, she's…." Yuna trailed off.  "I'm going over there.  She's hysterical."

Tidus only nodded his head, thinking that she had every right to be.  But in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think.  Actually, again, it didn't really sound like his voice in his head, but more like his father's, actually, a mix of both.  And it said: "Mangus," over and over.

-------

Author's notes:  

1—Umm, yeah.  Tidus and Yuna finally…well.  Is that so much of a surprise?  I tried to edit around "it" so that my story is still PG-style.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—A couple of references here.  First, the obvious Star Wars: Episode Two reference (i.e. I'd never mess with a senator…) The second is a bit subtler, but it's there so I had better mention it.  Preacher, the graphic novels.  When Tidus hits his head and remembers, that's inspired by volume one.  Preacher is a very awesome mature-only series that isn't for the feint of heart, but still is very awesome.

4—Will Tidus ever gain his other memories?  Is Mangus behind the abduction?  Why?  Find out in the next not-so-trilling installment of Fallen Heroes.

5—Thanks for the good reviews Frack, Oracle, and Summoner-Yuna-Uk.  You guys are the reason for me to keep these things going.


	9. Chapter Nine

A week later

Yuna sighed and looked down over the village of Besaid.  It was late evening and the sun was setting in the west, illuminating the sky in various shades of red, orange, and yellow.  From her vantage point she could easily see all of her hometown with the ocean looming far away in the background.  She was sitting on top of the Besaid Temple trying to clear her head.

It's been a week since the abduction and so far there has been no leads.  _As much as Tidus wants to believe Mangus stole Chappu,_ she thought to herself, _it just doesn't make sense._  Mangus, the stern, balding man who is one of Luzzu's chief agents could not have been involved.  He was in Bevelle that day and the next, with witnesses to validate where he was and when.  But Tidus swears up and down that he saw him with a "suspicious looking bundle" in his arms.  Tidus also said that he looks more like a mercenary than a political ally.

She sighed again.  Her legs were dangling over the side of the temple.  Even though she was about three stories into the air the height didn't seem to affect her much.  Actually, truth be known, this is her favorite place in Besaid.  She used to sneak up here with Wakka, Lulu, and Chappu when they were kids.  They repeatedly got scolded for it, Wakka and Lulu probably the most because they were a few years older.  They were supposed to be the responsible ones and looking out for the younger kids.  Little did the parents know that they, Wakka especially, were the most mischievous ones of them all.  But he wasn't to blame; all of them would never listen to reason.  Their family always used to say "You're going to play around up there and fall off one day," but that never seemed to faze them.  They really didn't have true parents, due to Sin.  But they were kind of adopted by the village elders and those parents whose children were killed by Sin's attack.  

Going up here was like a forbidden thing that the kids could and would do.  Just the sheer exhilaration of doing something that they were not supposed to, coupled with the thrill of being on the highest point of Besaid, was enough to continually tempt them as they were growing up.

Yuna seldom comes up here much anymore, and when she does, it's either to reminisce or try to relax.  Ever since Chappu went off to war they quit coming up here.  It just never quite seemed the same.  That was the time that she had officially quit growing up.  After that Lulu went on her first pilgrimage as a guardian.  When they got word Chappu died in battle, she came back immediately.  The loss was huge to Yuna, even though she wasn't his girlfriend like Lulu was and wasn't family like Wakka was, the pain still was insurmountable.  _He was family_, she thought, _just not the same blood_.

Life was so much simpler when she was growing up.  All she had to worry about was her studies and what to do after classes.  Even the more complicated things seem trivial.  If somebody stole a cookie and you thought it was the kid down the street, and you searched long enough you found out you were right.  There was no massive conspiracy, no arch criminal, nobody who was a serious threat.  It was always objective, something you could find, something you could fight, and it was always simple.

She sighed again as she stood up.  The sun had fallen below the horizon now.  Obviously Tidus was going to wonder what happened to her.  _Why hadn't I invited him up here with me?_ She thought to herself.  It was only obvious that she would want her man up here when she was going through a lot.  Trying to comfort your best friend after her infant child was snatched was quite a lot to go through.  Plus trying to deal with an amnesiac boyfriend was a lot of pressure also.  _But he's not an amnesiac_, her mind defended.  _He remembered his time in Zanarkand._

And that was what Yuna didn't like.  Why did Tidus not remember the things that were important to him?  Or the things that was important to her?  Maybe those memories aren't as important.  Maybe his time in Spira wasn't the best times in his life.  "No," she said aloud shaking her head.  But still she couldn't shake the thoughts.  _Tidus is gone_, another thought erupted through her mind.  "No," she said, louder this time.  There's always some part of her mind that wants to draw back from this whole situation.  There's always some part of her being that expects the worst.  This part of her mind still loves Tidus.  The statue that was erected in his honor, the one that she passed on her way to the roof, will always represent the Tidus that she loves.  No matter what happens to her, that part of her mind is always there, nagging, saying things like '_He will never be the same.'_  That's probably why she wanted to be alone.  She cared immensely for him, but something just wasn't the same.  Ever since that night, a week ago, when they were as close as she has ever been with any guy, they've slipped apart some.  She didn't know if it was tension, the situation, or just how everything has changed this past week, but something was there.

_If there was only some way out of this_, she thought to herself.  _If there was some way that I could get out of this downward spiral of death and disappointment._  Looking downward, she morbidly found a way.  _No way_, she viciously thought while shaking her head.  _I'm not going to do anything like that.  True, it would be a way out, but it would be a cheaters way out.  Besides, people depend on me; Lulu needs me, and I love Tidus.  _

'But it isn't the Tidus you love,' the small voice persisted.  She shook her head and a look of determination suddenly impressed across her face.  _I'm strong, _she thought to herself.  _Just like my father before me_.  A sudden feeling of pride came over her at the thought of her dad. _ I won't cop out that easily, _she finally thought.

Tidus stepped out of Wakka and Lulu's hut.  He had been consoling Wakka almost non-stop for the past week.  Lulu somehow always hid her emotions well, or so everyone told him.  So she had been relatively in better shape after the initial hysteria worn off.  Wakka on the other hand has been a complete mess.  He always seemed as if he needed someone by, just to talk to, or to be with.  Kimahri was more than willing to be there for him and Lulu both.  Granted he was the best listener someone could ask for, he wasn't much on the consoling part.  So Tidus had volunteered to stay by their side.  In light of the news, Rikku decided to take a leave of absence and come back for a few days.  Tidus suspected that wasn't the most approved action she has recently done in the Assembly.  

And now in the late evening, Tidus stepped out of Lulu and Wakka's hut wanting nothing but to come home and sleep.  As he was walking down the street towards his hut, he couldn't help but realize how different the feel of his town has changed.  Since the abduction, the entire village has been put on edge, with people suspecting everyone and everything of the crime.  He realized that some people probably suspected him too.  They probably thought that him claiming to see Mangus was a smokescreen.  People had even asked him why he was out that late anyway…

Tidus suddenly clinched his teeth and grabbed his head.  "Ahh," he groaned.  For the past few days he has been experiencing some bad headaches.  This one has all the potential to be the worst one yet.  He put his head inside both of his arms and bent over a little bit.  The pain was excruciating.  

"Hey," he heard a voice call out.

He could barely recognize the voice, and whom it belonged to.  

"Are you all right??" it came again.  _Rikku_, his mind lulled.

"My head," he managed to stumble out.  "It hurts."

"Easy," she said as she came up and placed her hand on his shoulder.  "Easy there.  Lets get you home."

The trek to his hut seemed to take forever, but by the time they made it the pain lessened a little.  "Here," he heard Rikku say as she sat him down on his bed.  "Lay down, wontcha?"

Tidus wasn't going to argue.  He plopped down and immediately the pain alleviated some.

"You need anything?" Rikku asked precariously.

"No," Tidus replied.  "I'm just going to rest."

"Ok then," Rikku started.  "Take care of yourself, you hear me?"

"Thanks," he muttered.  But already he could feel the warm blanket of sleep wrap its arms around him.  

Rikku sighed before adding, "What would you ever do without me?"  Not getting a response, she shook her head then walked out the door.

-----

The wind had picked up, blowing her clothes and hair back.  All the light had drained out of the sky by now, enveloping Besaid in a veil of blackness.  The only light to be seen was the soft candlelight coming out of the windows of the huts.  There was no moon tonight, and everything seemed a lot darker.  _It was fitting_, she thought.  Yuna was still standing on top of the temple in the middle of town.  For some reason, she couldn't find the strength to go back down, even though the air suddenly had a cold hint to it.  Far off in the distance she could see lightning ripple through the sky.  It was still far away, out in the depths of the sea.  She stared as more lightning came, shooting down and touching the ocean.  _There's a storm coming_, she thought to herself.  Her toes were dangling off of the edge, as she was standing precariously close.  She was three stories high.  _More than enough,_ she thought to herself.  Yuna closed her eyes, trying to block out the world, and everything in it.  Suddenly her eyes shot open and her body jumped in shock.  Somewhere off in the distance, the thunder clapped loud enough to be felt in her chest…  

Yuna fell.

------

"Hmmm," Tidus moaned into the darkness.  

He was in the stage between sleep and awake.  The part where images came to life and everything had a mystical quality.  He was in the state where a thought could take off on it's own power and turn into a rampant dream.  Tidus was tossing and turning as if he was having a nightmare, or if his headache was back.  They all seemed to be connected: his headache, the images, and nightmares.  Outside a loud crack of thunder startled him, but more importantly, it startled his mind.  Images fluttered through his brain.  Battles, fighting, a lot of fighting, the Calm Lands, Mount Gagazet, and finally, Macalania Lake.

"Yuna!" he screamed as he woke up, rising up out of the bed.  Suddenly more images flooded his mind…

-----

Images flooded her mind too.  Her first thought was, _I'm going to die_.  Then more thoughts and feelings came into her mind.  Macalania Lake, Tidus, her father, Lulu, the last time she saw her, the sending, and finally…

The sandy streets of Besaid rushed up and struck her at the end of her fall.

----

Author's notes

1—Ok, I know that was a bit brash, and I know some of you people think I went waaay out of character here with Yuna.  Many of you are probably pissed and wont even read any further.  You guys are the ones that want to take my head off right now.  However, things aren't quite as they seem.

2—Everything's owned by Squaresoft….even my soul.

3—That was the angstiest chapter so far, and that's probably as dark and angsty as this thing will get, a great relief for you and all of you Yuna lovers (myself included, contrary to popular belief).

4—Wow, there was a mad rush of reviews.  Thanks guys, 'preciate it.  Oh, Sanguine Guardian, just so you know, during the game before the battle of Mi'Ihen Highroad, your choices affect the fate of Luzzu and Gatta.  When I played through, Luzzu was left to live and Gatta died in battle.  That's just the way I played and the way this story is based on.  (I think you have to talk to Gatta twice and pick the bottom option both times, but I'm not exactly sure.)  Thanks for that insightful review though.  Yeah I know, that whole "scenario" you referred to was risky, and I did have second thoughts about doing it, but I think it was kinda necessary in the grand scheme of things.

5—Thanks for the support everyone (Fire Rules, Sanguine Guardian, Cloud, Shooting Star), and especially Trey Loose.  You've been there since the beginning kid.


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Tidus hasn't spoken a word in five hours.  Although he has prayed silently for sleep, his prayer has fallen on deaf ears.  He had been praying for a lot of things lately, and getting about the same response.  He never wanted it to be like this.  He stared off in the distance, but every now and then his bright blue eyes would flicker back towards the bed.

The bed where Yuna laid.  

Her entire right arm was in a makeshift sling, probably broken in three places, the doctor had said.  She had a support cast around her upper torso, to help stabilize her ribs that were fractured.  Her head was bandaged up, but not as heavily as Tidus' had been when he laid here in this exact same cot.  The doctor said that it's a miracle that she isn't in much worse condition; it could have been really bad.  She could have died. 

There was no sign of life to her, except for the steady rise and fall of her chest.  

Tidus tightened his grip on her hand a little bit.  He was hoping to see some kind of movement, or some type of recognition.  All he got was a slight moan flowing from her lips, or more like a whimper.

Tidus closed his eyes trying his best to hold back the tears. 

He remembers it clearly, and probably will for the rest of his life.  He had woken up in the early night, suddenly remembering anything and everything in his life.  His brain was going a million miles a second and he understood what he was seeing.  He was sitting upright in his bed, sorting through his thoughts when Rikku came bursting in the door.  She was hysterical.  Tidus couldn't make out anything she was saying except for one word:  "Yuna."

His heart sank, as he knew something bad had happened.

When he finally got to the temple, he couldn't move.  He stood frozen in stunned silence.  There was a lot of blood mixing with the sand, oozing on the street.  Her arm was twisted in a way that arms aren't supposed to twist: upwards and around her back.  Her hair was a mangled mess mixed with blood, covering most of her face.  In a way, Tidus was grateful for that.  He really didn't want to see her face.  He wanted to believe it wasn't her.  He felt as if this wasn't really happening; that it was some movie sphere he had watched in Zanarkand.  He experienced a strange sense of detachment.  He tried to think but all he could see was Yuna's distorted figure in his mind.  He tried to move but his feet wouldn't let him.  It was almost as if his feet were made of lead.  It had started to rain.  Finally he said one word; actually, he had screamed it:

"Help!!!!"

Tidus' eyes jerked open.  Was he asleep?  Had he slept?  Looking outside he saw inky darkness with the occasional flicker of lightning.  It was pouring rain outside.  He couldn't tell how much time had passed.  He squeezed his hand again, feeling the familiar cool flesh of Yuna.  He looked back at her, almost expecting her to be awake.  He quickly looked away when he realized nothing had changed.  He closed his bright blue eyes and started to drift off again.  _Maybe I should_, he thought.  _Just for a little while._  He nodded his head and went back to sleep.

----

"Hey," a voice called out, startling him.

"Hey boy," it repeated.

"Dad?" Tidus said as he opened his eyes.  He looked around to only see nothing but white mist.  It was as if he was enveloped in a fog so dense he couldn't see more than ten feet in either direction.  "Where am I?" he asked into the vast nothingness.

"There you are," he heard his dad say.  "Thought I'd lost you for a minute there."

"What's happening?" Tidus asked.

"Something bad," came his response.  Jecht's voice seemed to come from nowhere, and everywhere at the same time.  Tidus turned around again, thinking that his dad might be creeping up behind him.

"Am I dreaming?" Tidus finally asked.

"Hmph," Jecht's voice started.  "You were always a dream.  You and me both boy."

"Yeah but you were Sin," Tidus said, with resentment on his voice.

"Yeah, guess so."

"Where are we?" Tidus asked looking around, finally taking a tentative step forward.  "Where's Yuna?"

"Were in the Farplane," Jecht answered, ignoring his second question.

"I can't be here; Yuna needs me now," Tidus said, with a bit more resentment this time. 

"So does the rest of the world," came his response.

"Why am I here?"

"Heh, I brought you here.  Being Sin, I had some crazy powers.  I came through time, took you and Auron back, could go about anywhere, or see about anything.  Guess I still have some of that stuff lingering around."

"What does this mean?" Tidus asked, growing more and more impatient.  "Are you the reason I'm back in Spira?"

"No, and this means that you had better listen up.  There's something bad going on in the Assembly.  People are getting power hungry, and there plotting against those who they think are threats.  I don't know it all, somethin's blockin me out.  I don't like it.  But I know whose doin' it."

"Luzzu," Tidus answered for him.

"Yeah, I guess we both think alike.  After all, you're still my son."

There was a moment of silence as the tension passed.

"Uah….anyway," Jecht continued.  "He's got to be the reason why all of this is happenin'.  He's got some kinda plan that I can't see, but I know it's nothing good for the people of Spira.  Now we got a plan…"

"What do you care about the people of Spira?"  Tidus asked cutting him off.  "You're the one who brought so much death and destruction.  You ruined lives, everyone's, mine."

"I know you still don't like me," came Jecht's awkward reply.  "And I don't blame you one bit.  But you were the one who beat me.  And well….I guess I wanna somehow give back a little.  Help, maybe make up for what I've hurt.  But I can't do it alone.  Like I said we've got a plan."

"I don't care about you're stupid plan," Tidus said.

"We'll what do you care about?" Jecht asked ruefully, knowing full well what his answer would be.

"Yuna," Tidus said looking down.  

"How you gonna save her?  Huh?" Jecht started.  "You can save her and the rest of Spira if…"

"I don't care about the rest of Spira.  I just care about her.  And if you're so all-powerful then maybe you can tell me why she did it.  Why did she…"

There was a moment's hesitation before Tidus heard the voice of Jecht let out a sigh.  "Tidus.  You know Yuna.  You know what she's like.  Do you ever think in a million years she'd commit suicide?"

Tidus was dumbfounded.  

"Over you?," Jecht added.

Tidus was speechless.  All this time he and the rest of the world thought Yuna had jumped of her own free will.  That she had somehow given up on life.  What Jecht was saying made Tidus really uncomfortable, but he wanted to hear it anyway.  He had to.

"She was pushed, Tidus.  But don't worry, I'll take care of her."

Tidus didn't respond at first.  Then found his fists tightening up into balls and his face getting flustered.  "Who?" he finally asked in between ragged gasps of breath.

"The same bastards who are tryin' to take over the world.  They think she's a threat to em', and they're damn right she is.  Like I said, we've got a plan…"

"I'm listening…" Tidus said.

----

Tidus woke up just before sunrise.  The early morning light was trickling in through the window.  The rain had stopped, giving way to a new day in Besaid.  Tidus opened his eyes with a look of fierce resolve on his face.  At first he just stared off towards the window, thinking about what he had to do.  Eventually his gaze returned to the cot that Yuna was sleeping on.  He looked at her torso that was all bandaged up, then her shoulders, her face, and then her eyes.  Her eyes were open, and they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

---

End of Part One

---

Author's notes:

1—What'd I tell ya'?  Yuna'll be alright.  I know Part One was kind of…boring?  Thanks for sticking through with me this far.  Things are going to pick up tremendously soon, with lots of fighting, action, and that dude in red.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Recommended reading:  A Time For Reflection, by Fire Rules.  A completed story that is really cool, in a romantic, fluffy kind of way.

4—Bring down somebody's GPA and introduce them to this game, especially right about finals time.

5—Ok, this has been the plan for a while now, but I'm going to go through and edit Part One a bit.  I noticed in hindsight, when I had no idea where this thing was headed, that I rushed a lot of material and didn't think through some things.  So I'm going back in an effort to make things flow more.  I'm probably going to answer some of you guys' questions and find a way to make things not as jumpy.   If you have any questions about stuff so far, let me know and I'll address them as best that I can.

6—Thanks again for the support people.


	11. Chapter Eleven

***~Part Two~***

Chapter Eleven

Four weeks later….

A gunshot rang down from the hills into Besaid village. A few seconds later another one rippled through the early afternoon breeze. Tidus' eyes shot open as he jumped off of his bed. He arced his head and tensed his shoulders. It was if his whole body was listening. _Was that a gun_, he thought to himself. Slowly a bad feeling started going through the pit of his stomach. _They're coming for Yuna again_, he thought. A few moments later another gunshot riveted through the air. 

Tidus jumped outside his hut not bothering to put on his shirt. As he stepped out he saw a half a dozen people staring up on the mountain trail that eventually leads to the beach. A fourth shot rang out. Without thinking, Tidus took off running up the trail.In his haste he didn't even equip himself, something that he wished he had done. An air fiend rushed out of a tree and dug its claws into the flesh of Tidus' back. Tidus yelled in pain but didn't fight back, just merely waving his arms at the fiend before turning and running back up the hillside. He didn't have time for this.

It had been a peaceful few weeks in Besaid, relatively speaking of course. Yuna's wounds have mostly healed, with her arm brace just coming off yesterday. The first week was touch and go, with her being too weak to even talk. But slowly she started to find her strength and will again. After the second week she was able to get up off of the bed and move around the hut, if only for a few minutes. It was the third week when she showed the most progress, being able to move around and go places for a significant period of time. Tidus knew she was strong, but even this show of will was surprising to him. And all of this time, Tidus had never left her side. And now at the end of the fourth week, all he could think of is that some new threat was coming for her. Something he had to stop.

As he reached the top of the hill he saw two figures with their backs toward him. His breath came in gasps and sweat trickled into his eyes, forcing him to blink. When he did, he failed to see a rock in his path and he tripped on it and tumbled over.

He heard laughter….Yuna's laughter. "Silly," he heard her say. Tidus forced himself up and looked forward. He saw Yuna, with Rikku not too far behind. Yuna was wearing a white spaghetti shirt that came down right above her navel that covered her scarred ribs. She had on a pair of blue, and somewhat revealing pair of shorts. She had on a yellow armband around her right arm that covered the remnants from her once-broken arm. Also, and most surprisingly, she had a gun in each hand. (Click here, if you want to see what she looks like) She took a few steps towards Tidus and then leaned over him. "Are you ok?" she asked.

For a second Tidus' mind didn't work. All of his worst fears had somehow not been the case, and what he had feared had turned into something he never expected.

He heard Rikku's voice come from the other direction. "He obviously seems worried about you Yunie."

"I was, uh," Tidus staggered as he jumped up to his feet. "I heard the shots, I thought someone was in trouble."

"You thought someone was after me," Yuna corrected with a smirk on her face. "Right?" 

"Uhhhh…," Tidus responded, feeling warmth come to his face.

"It's ok," Yuna said. "I think it's cute. My night in shining armor came to thwart any danger that could have came to me." By now Tidus' face had turned beet red from embarrassment.

"Awwww…." Rikku said sarcastically. "Isn't that sooo sweet?"

Tidus put his arm up behind his head as he looked down, trying to think of something to say.

"Ok," Yuna said. "That's enough. I think we've embarrassed him enough for one day."

"What are you doing up here?" Tidus asked absently. "What are those, guns?"

"Al Bhed pistols," Rikku answered for her.

"I was just practicing," Yuna said. "I want to be able to take care of myself from here on,"

"Take care of yourself?" Tidus questioned.

"Yeah," Yuna replied. "Something like that. But I think we've done enough for today Rikku."

"Gotcha," Rikku said.

"Besides, it looks like my night in shining armor needs to go clean up."

Tidus looked down at himself again. He still had no shirt or shoes, and a spat of blood had mixed in with the dirt that was covering him from his fall. He felt his face turning red again. "Uhh….sure thing," he murmured.

"Come," Yuna said, extending her hand. Tidus took it and they started walking down the trail, with Rikku already out in front bounding down the slope.

"What are you doing with guns?" Tidus finally asked. "I thought Yevon forbid them."

"I think," Yuna said hesitantly. "I think I'm done with Yevon."

"What?" Tidus asked in shock.

"Remember when I was excommunicated? That started my lack of faith in the religion." she began. "Then we saw forbidden machina in Bevelle temple."

"Hmm-mmm," Tidus mumbled. 

"And, well…our fight with Yu Yevon. How he used the entire Yevon religion, along with summoners, guardians, masters, just for his gain. He would have used us, as he used both of our parents."

"Yeah," Tidus said. Actually, now that he thought about it, her lost faith wasn't that much of a shock to him. "But why all of a sudden? And what's up with those clothes?"

"You don't like them?" Yuna asked quietly. 

"No, no, no, that's not what I mean at all," Tidus quickly replied. "It's just a surprise that's all."

"It was Rikku's idea. She thought that if I were going somewhere, then it would probably be best if I had a new identity. Especially with people trying to…" she tapered off for a second. "Kill me."

"Where are you going?" Tidus asked hesitantly.

"With you," she replied.

"Huh?" Tidus asked with a confused tone in his voice.

"There's something you're not telling me. Somewhere you want to go, right?" She stopped him and looked at him in his eyes. "What is it?"

Tidus sighed. He had no idea how she knew, unless maybe he still talks in his sleep, something he used to do as a kid. "The night you were pushed," he started. "I had a dream. But I don't think it was dream. I think it was….my old man."

"Ah," Yuna said. "Sir Jecht."

"Yeah, anyway," Tidus said, still not ready to think of his dad as being a 'Sir.' "I think I was at the Farplane with him. He said that there was trouble brewing in the Assembly. He said that Lord Luzzu is planning something big, that his men were the people who pushed you off of the temple. He said that he has a plan, but he needs my help."

"Wow," Yuna said. The answer to her question was far more complicated than she thought. "You think it's true?"

Tidus hesitated before continuing. "Yeah. My old man, he seemed serious this time. I really think he wants to help us somehow."

"What does he want you to do?"

"He wanted me to go to Gagazet first."

"Why didn't you go?"

"I was going to wait on you," Tidus said. "I was not going to leave you again. I had to make sure you were going to be ok. I was going still wanting to go. That is, whenever you feel up to it."

"I see. Thank you Tidus," she said as she leaned in and kissed him. "I love you," she whispered, not really expecting an answer.

For a few seconds, silence was her only answer. However right when Yuna took another step down the trail, Tidus replied to her.

"I love you too," he said. 

Yuna's face lit up as a smile extended across her face. She turned back around and kissed him again.

The next day…

"I'm going to need this big man," Tidus said, his voice echoing in the hollow temple. "I'll take good care of it, I promise."

Tidus reached in and grabbed his familiar bluish-green sword from the statue. He swung it around a few tentative times, trying to get the feel back. He hiked it on his shoulder and started walking out of the temple. Right before he stepped out into the morning sun, he turned around once more to look at the stone statue engraved in his honor. "Hmph," he muttered before turning back and walking out the door.

"Are you ready?" he heard a voice call out.

"Yeah…wow," Tidus replied looking at Rikku. Yuna wasn't the only one that decided to go with new clothes. Rikku was wearing a yellow bikini top with a brown, extremely short pair of shorts. She had a blue bandana on with two orange scarves hanging on each side of her head. (Click here to see what Rikku looks like.) Tidus couldn't help but think of how much the young Al Bhed had grown up and matured. She's no longer the happy-go-lucky girl that once had no care in the world. She actually has a position of power now. There's a word that Tidus never associated with Rikku before: responsibility. 

But even her sense of responsibility falls second to her sense of commitment to her friends and family. That is why she has anointed her aide Garvis to her position on a temporary basis, so she could be with Yuna and Tidus.

"So why does everybody get a new identity, and I don't?" Tidus asked. 

"Because you didn't ask for one!!" Rikku replied. 

"We'll, I don't need one," Tidus retorted. 

Suddenly he felt a deep rumbling in the air as an Al Bhed airship, the Rekrfeht , appeared on the horizon. He watched in awe as the huge airship circled around and landed outside the village. This airship was the first of many made by the Al Bhed. Since the defeat of Sin, it seems as if every major city has commissioned one, all owned by the Assemby of course. All of this business has been a huge boost to the Al Bhed society and has made them some of the most powerful people in the world. But even so, it all started with the first Airship. The one that Tidus helped recover his first day in Spira. The one they were walking towards now.

Tidus had a small sense of apprehension in his stomach as he watched the bay doors open. It will be the first time that he will step foot on the airship since he died two years ago. He almost didn't want to go. He swallowed hard and looked at Yuna. There wasn't much color in her face. _She's thinking the same thing too_, he thought.

"We'll, we had better get going," Tidus said reluctantly. 

Tidus stepped towards the massive airship, with a sense of adventure and reluctance. _A new adventure is starting_, he thought solemnly to himself. He could only think of what new dangers await them.

Author's notes:

1—Woah, sorry for the delay. I've not had computer access over the past three weeks or so. Beyond that I've been trying to re-edit the story up to this point. Also, the holidays kinda put me behind as well. That and a trip to Miami over New Years, too. But now that those, ahem, distractions, are behind me now, I can get back to some serious writing.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Recommended reading: A Single Prayer, by Sanguine Guardian. A nice X-2 style fic that is developing nicely.

4—Thanks people. Especially Mr./Mrs. Anonymous. That's really flattering that someone would look at my story for pointers on writing their own. Good luck with it there, kid. Thanks to Blurry, Target, and Tidus-DemonStar (cool name btw.) The wait is over, heh. SG, I will definitely check that out, it's about time for me to watch the ending again. It's kind of a ritual, every so often re-watch one of the best endings ever. 

5—Hook a friend up and let them in on FFX. They will appreciate it.

6—Rekrfeht?  Get your Al Bhed translator out.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Tidus stepped off of the deck of the airship into the numbing cold of Gagazet.

"Ahhh!!," he heard Rikku scream from behind him.  He turned around to see the young Al Bhed take off inside the ship with her hair flowing behind her in the cold, mountainous air.  "Be right back!" she cried overtop of the howling wind.  

Tidus turned his gaze towards Yuna.  "You all right?" he asked.

"Hmm," she started.  "Yeah.  Just so many memories."  Of course Tidus was referring to the cold weather and not to Gagazet village, directly in front of them.  The village had grown tremendously since the last time he had been here.  Many new buildings have sprung up showing that the Ronso have really progressed since the unmerciful attack two years ago.  But even so, he could still see parts of the town still in shambles due to Seymour's rampage.  His eyes then fixated on two figures coming down the snowy trail in his direction.  He recognized them immediately: Yenke, and Kimahri.

Behind him the bay doors opened up and Rikku stepped back out.  "Ah, much better."  Tidus turned to see that she was wearing a light blue jacket, although it only concealed a little bit more of her open skin, it probably still felt much warmer.  He also noticed that she wasn't alone.

"E's kuehk fedr oui," said the mohawked Al Bhed.

_I'm going with you_, Tidus deciphered in his mind.  _The more the merrier,_ he thought to himself.  However he couldn't shake an uneasy feeling about taking the Al Bhed with him.

"I…" Brother said, reaching for the words.  "Thank youu.  Help pro-guard Rikku at Siiiin….Me help yooou now."

Tidus couldn't help but smile at the Al Bhed's desire to learn his vocabulary.  "Thanks," he said.  "But it's gonna be dangerous.  You sure you're up to it?"  Tidus had never seen Brother in a fight, so he was a little apprehensive about letting him go into the heat of battle.  _The fiends in Gagazet are rough_, his mind recalled.

It was then that Brother produced a rifle that was nearly twice as long as his arm.  _Al Bhed technology_, Tidus thought as he smiled.  It looked like a relic to Tidus by his Zanarkand standards.  _The bullets were probably two inches long_, he chuckled to himself.

"Thanks, we'll need all the help we can get," Tidus said enthusiastically.

"I thank you also," Yuna said.

Tidus turned back around to look at the two Ronso who were trudging down the snowy path.  "Hey Kimahri, Yenke." Tidus said, raising his arm.

"Regain memory?" Kimahri asked.

"Uh…yeah, couple of weeks ago."

"Still protect Yuna?" he asked.

"Yeah, as much as I can." 

"Kimahri glad," he said crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Why you come to Ronso village?" Yenke asked.

"We've come to see the Fayth that sleeps next to Zanarkand," Rikku said, obviously now adjusted to the elements.

"Hmmm…." Kimahri said.  "Long ways."

"Yeah, I know.  But we got to," Rikku replied.  "Pleeease?"

"No summoners pass now," Yenke started.  "No more pilgrimage.  Nobody go Zanarkand since Sin.  Many fiends there now."

"But we still have to go," Rikku pleaded.  

"Kimahri knows," he said.  "Kimahri go with you.  Kimahri protect friends."

"Thanks Kimahri," Yuna said.  "I knew I could count on you."

Suddenly the great airship Rekrfeht fired its thrusters as the engine came to life.  The ship then rose up and twisted away to the left.  Tidus saw Cid on the bridge of the ship through the glass.  He gave Tidus a salute.  Tidus waved back.

"Byeee!!"  Rikku yelled waving her arms dramatically.

_We'll_, Tidus thought.  _It's started._

----

Yuna's pulse jumped as her heart pounded in her chest.  Despite the coldness biting at her legs, a few beads of sweat popped out on her brow as she stared directly in front of her.  Her eyes were fixed on the three Bashuras that were plowing through the snow directly toward them.  She knew that she was rusty, not fighting anything but her own emotions for the past two years.  Now using her handguns, which still feel alien to her, she felt uneasy about fighting.  She knew the path to the Fayth would be perilous, but she didn't want to see battle this quickly.  She looked ahead and saw Tidus take his position.  Instantly she already better and more relaxed.  She swallowed hard and raised her gun.  Whatever they ran into, she would feel better with Tidus by her side.

Tidus wasted no time, instantly taking the offensive slashing the first bashura and stabbing the other in the ribs on the draw back.  Yuna jumped behind him, protecting his flank.  She buried three bullets inside the right arm of the first Bashura.  Rikku and Brother worked their way to the left side, sticking pretty close together, but not nearly as close as Tidus and Yuna.  Rikku swiftly jumped in and used her claws on a bashura's leg.  The great beast swung one of its four arms down and Rikku jumped to the side easily and got in another blow before retreating out of harm's way.  Kimahri on the other hand took off to the left gripping his spear intently.  He's always been a loner, both socially and in battle.  Kimahri doesn't need anybody to take his flank, his instincts guide him in the field.  He quickly plunged his spear in the middle fiend.

Tidus slashed furiously and almost recklessly at the bashura on the right sending it to its death.  He looked up in time to see the right side of the head of the middle fiend simply explode.  He looked back and saw Brother reloading his rifle.  Tidus grinned and then slashed open the remaining bashura.  The last fiend exploded in a stream of pyreflies as Kimahri's spear rammed through the fiend's shoulder blades.

"Yeah, that's how its done," Tidus exclaimed as he flipped his sword up and caught it as it came back down, one of his signature moves.  Yuna felt a wave of relief pass her body as the moment of danger passed.  She took a deep breath and pressed on up the trail.

It took the group five hours to get within seeing distance of the Fayth.  As Yuna expected, the trial had been tough.  Around every corner was a group of fiends, some being easy to defeat, while others being extremely difficult.  The longer and longer she was in battle the more natural her handguns seemed.  Her style was different from Brother's, who had the devastating power rifle.  He would stay at a relative distance, almost sniping the enemies.  Yuna however stuck as close to Tidus as she could, popping a series of bullets into an enemy at almost point blank range.  She was also continuously protecting his flank.  This allowed Tidus to slash away furiously and unrelentlessly, always taking the offensive.

"We're almost there," Tidus said when the grand wall of Fayth came into view.  

"Watch out," Kimahri growled.  Tidus was so entranced in looking forward that he completely missed the large serpent creature that was barreling towards them from the left.  Tidus quickly ducked as it's scaly arm swung by his body.  Tidus then heard Yuna scream in pain.  He turned around in time to see the creature's arm strike Yuna in the torso tossing her like a rag doll.  Slowly Tidus' world began to turn red.  He then felt the familiar feeling of his overdrive meter top out: it was called rage.  Suddenly Tidus turned around and started slashing his sword like a madman.  His fury was unleashed on the creature as his sword came down blow after blow after blow.  Tidus felt like he was cutting away like an insane warrior.  Finally the serpent's body fell limp as it started to disintegrate into pyreflies.  "Yuna," Tidus said as he turned around looking for his girlfriend.

She was standing there in the snow apparently no worse for wear.  She was also smiling at him.  "Are you ok?" Tidus asked.

"She's fine," Rikku answered for her.  "Thanks to me and Al Bhed potions.  But what was that?"

"I don't know," Tidus said.  "Some kind of water fiend far away from home."

"No," Rikku said.  "Not that, that!  That move you just did.  How'd ya do it?"

"Oh…I uh, I don't know.  It just happened."

"What do you call it?" Rikku persisted.

"How should I know?"

"Hmmm……It needs a name," she said pursing her finger to her lips apparently deep in thought.

"No it doesn't," Tidus replied.  "For all I know I may not be able to do it again."

"Hey, how 'bout the Omnislash," she said, completely disregarding Tidus' last statement.

"Omnislash.  What is that?  It sounds like a disease."

"No silly, it's a name for your move.  I have a friend who saw someone do a move just like it; only he had a really big sword, like what Auron used to have.  She said that he called it the Omnislash."

"You can call it whatever you want, I'm going to go up here and talk to the Fayth."

"Heey," Rikku said waving her arms.  "Wait for me!!"

Tidus stared at what was once the great water fountain of dreams.  What was once a great swell of liquid memories, feelings, and lives, was nearly gone.  Almost, being the key word.  What remained was a trickle so thin that if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't even notice it.  It looked as if blue water was running down a piece of thread, wavering in the wind, but never breaking.  A smile crossed Tidus' face…two seconds before he collapsed on the ground.

When Tidus opened his eyes, he was standing on what looked like a platform, no bigger than ten meters, suspended in nothingness.  Underneath it, he could see nothing but inky blackness.  Beyond it, he could see nothing but a swell of void.

"Huh?" he said, his voice echoing in the darkness.

"Hey there," came his reply.

Tidus quickly turned around to see the small boy that he had seen briefly but on many occasions before.  It was the Fayth he was looking for.

"I figured you'd show up sooner or later," the boy started.  "What kept you?"

"Uh, I've been…uh, busy."

"Oh, I see," the Fayth said.  "So I guess you're wondering why you're back, and where your memory is."

"We'll…really, I was just wondering why I was back.  My memories have already returned."

"Interesting…" the boy started.  "You were a dream of the Fayth," he started.  "But you already knew that.  The huge wall of Fayth out there, were all that remained of Zanarkand's original descendants after the war with Bevelle.  We came together, to form the dream that is Zanarkand.  Our plan was to dream the dream for everyone else to remember what Zanarkand really was about.  But nobody came to see it, except summonses on their journey.  We were going to dream until someone came up with another way to preserve Zanarkand the way that it truly was, based on our dreaming.  We waited a thousand years, but that day never came.  The longer we dreamed, the more tired we became.  We were about to give up dreaming, and give into a well-deserved slumber.  But then…"

"I was touched by Sin," Tidus answered for him.

"No," he corrected.  "Your father was touched by Sin."

"We were afraid of him, at first," the boy went on.  "One of our creations, had been given the chance to live in the real world, with real people.  We were afraid that if we stopped dreaming, then he would disappear.  If we knew he would have become Sin, then we would have stopped.  But then he came back for you.  When that happened, many of us did stop dreaming.  But others, myself included, kept with it, realizing Jecht had a plan.  And when it came through, when you defeated Sin for the last time, our wishes were granted, and we stopped dreaming and fell asleep.  But some of us felt guilty.  We gave two people the chance to live, the chance to love, feel, talk, walk, and be real, just to snatch it away from them.  So a handful of us made a pact: that someone would wake up and keep a part of the dream real.  Your part of the dream.  And when the first person gets tired, they are to switch off."

Tidus was speechless.

"Uh…wow," he finally said.  "All this?  For me?"

"Really, you beat Sin, gave joy to the people of the world, and allowed us to rest in peace.  It's the least we could do."

"Thanks, I guess."

"You guess?" the Fayth asked.

"Well…….I'm not complaining or anything, but I would rather have came back in one piece."

"Ahh, your memories," he said.  "When we decided to re-dream you, we really didn't know how to go about it.  It never has happened before.  So there were a few transcription errors."

"Transcription errors?" Tidus questioned.

"Spira and your Zanarkand are two completely different worlds.  There are pathways between them, although they're never used.  Think of a phone, or a fax back in Zanarkand.  You have two places, with one connector, the phone line, and you scan something, send it, and the other place deciphers it.  It's the same process.  The pathway between worlds, the same one that Jecht used as Sin, the Fayth can use also.  However, if the data is messed up, or something comes out in the wrong place, that is called a transcription error.  Bringing you back to Spira, it scrambled your mind for a while."

"So that's what caused it," Tidus said thoughtfully.

"Yes, so be grateful," he said.  "You could have come back with four arms or a head sticking out of your leg.  I'd say for the first time, we did pretty good."

"That reminds me of something I'm supposed to ask you…"

Tidus awoke on the snow a few minutes later.

----

"How long was I out?" Tidus asked as he rose to his feet.  

"A couple of hours," Yuna replied.

"How'd it go?" Rikku asked.

"Hmm," Tidus said looking at the darkening skyline.  "It went great.  Things are going to turn our way soon."

"Kimahri glad you're back.  Kimahri think we need to go now."

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "We're going to get caught in the dark.  It's gonna get real cold real soon.  Plus, it looks like bad weather's coming"

After an hour of fighting through the snow, Tidus turned around briefly to watch the last remnants of the sun sink beneath the surface.  The temperature had dropped steadily since his return to the land of the living.  Now as Tidus watched the last of the warmth drain out of the sky he noticed that the snow had set in hard.  _Not just a normal snow_, he thought_.  Nice and wet_.  He looked over to see Yuna shivering.  He wanted to help her somehow, but even his scarce clothes wouldn't do her much good if given to her.  He felt himself fighting the urge to shake.  He turned around and pressed forward.

"How…..much……longer?"  Rikku asked after a while.  She had fallen a good six steps behind the group, with her pace slowing down with every step.

"Four hours," Kimahri said.  "Longer if snow keeps up."

"That's……not….. comforting."

"Can we start a fire?" Tidus asked.

"No.  Must press forward.  Storm get worse," Kimahri answered.

Tidus wasn't sure how long he could go on.  But regardless he lowered his head into the freezing wind and trudged forward.  Within another fifteen minutes he had lost his footing twice, covering himself in snow.  Another ten minutes and he was shaking so bad that he couldn't walk straight.  The pain was excruciating.

"Kimahri go on.  Kimahri go faster.  Kimahri get help."

Tidus could only nod his head as he saw his big blue friend turn and start bounding down the slopes.  Tidus took a few more steps and turned around.  He couldn't see Brother or Rikku through the waves of snow that was pouring down on the trail.  He gripped Yuna's hand tighter and started walking again.  It wasn't long that he realized that he couldn't see Kimahri's footprints anymore.  Now he had no idea where the trail was.  With a foreboding sense of helplessness he dropped to his knees, trying to resist giving up the fight to go on.

"Tidus," He heard Yuna call.  Her voice seemed as if it was miles away to him.  Finally Tidus fell all the way to the snow, shivering so hard that he couldn't concentrate.  All he wanted to do was sleep.  The last thoughts he remembered thinking before closing his eyes and drifting off was Yuna's face, which looked paled.  She tried to say something, but he didn't hear the words.  He remembered that, a flash of crimson red, and something long and made of steel.

-------

Author's notes

1—Give you three guesses what that flash of crimson red was, but you only need one.

2—Wow, that was unusually long.  But a few points had to be cleared up before story progressed.  (i.e. How Tidus got back, his memory, and stuff.)

3—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

4—These keep rolling out.  Stay tuned for the next installment, which includes something, although I'm not quite sure what!!

5—Oh yeah, another reference.  That whole transcription errors thing, that's from Michael Chrichton's Timeline.  A pretty good book, although not one of his best.  Although the physics is really intriguing.  It just seemed to fit here.

6—I don't know if it's just the caffeine or what, but something seems a bit odd about this chapter.  I don't think my grammar is perfect, or maybe I misspelled something, or maybe I made a really stupid error somewhere and I can't find it.  I feel like I've missed something.  Maybe not; It may just be the paranoia creeping back into my system.

7—Sanguine Guardian, it's good to know you're still alive.  Demon Star and Blurry, thanks for the support.  You kids are the reason why this thing keeps on rolling out.

8—Recommended reading:  A Desert Rose, by Amberlee.  None of my words can describe this and do it justice.  It's an aweseom one-shot fic  


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Tidus stirred and rolled over.  He felt strangely weak, and he wasn't sure if he should be alive or dead.  In his weary state, he tried to think of where he was, and why he should fear death.  He tried to recall what has happened to him, but nothing came to his mind.  All he wanted to do was to sleep some more.  However, something urgent was pulling him, teasing him really, and he couldn't quite grasp it.

As he was about to give up on the endeavor, thoughts and images raced through his head:  snow, wind, freezing cold, and Yuna.  "Yuna," he gasped as he sat up, now fully awake.  He looked around trying to get his bearings.  He was in a room, actually, it was more like a large tent.  There were an assortment of cots lying around, some lifeless, and some with figures nestled in blankets.  He saw a large barrel standing in the middle of the room on top of the dirt floor.  On it was an old dusty oil lamp, with its flames flickering in the darkness.  There were two flaps in the tent-like structure to his left.  The wind was blowing them inward, sending a cold chill his way.  He pulled the blanked up around him that someone had placed on his body to shield himself from the numbing breeze.  Suddenly Tidus heard a stern, authoritative voice flowing from behind him.

"So you're awake?" it said.

_Auron_, his mind thought.

He turned around to see the once powerful warrior monk hunched over on a cot.  He had his ever-present handle of shine sitting next to him.  Within his hands was a large, cold, gray steel sword that had been plunged downward into the hard dirt.  He was pivoting the blade back and forth in the ground, causing a good four inches of the edge to be buried in the earth.  His face was locked in determination down at an angle looking at the tip of the blade before him, never once rising to meet Tidus gaze with his dark brown eye.  _He hasn't changed much in two years_, Tidus thought.  His eye was still scarred over a bit and his dark, smooth hair was still streaked with a few strands of gray.  He looked exactly the same as he had since the last time he had seen him.  It was if Auron had slept for two years.

"It's about time you came out of it," he said, still looking downward.  "You had everyone worried."

"How long was I out?" Tidus asked, shifting his body on the cot so he could see Auron directly.

"Two days," he replied slowly and calmly.  "You're the last one to wake."

"Is everyone else alright?" Tidus said, with a sense of hope in his voice.

"More-or-less," Auron began still staring downward at his rotating katana.  "Kimahri is fine," he began.  "Other than the nagging guilt he feels of leading his friends into a battle they couldn't win.  Rikku, we'll, she's vowing to never come here ever again.  But besides her pestering, she seems to be able to go on.  Brother, lost three toes on his right foot.  Frostbite.  It was pretty bad.  He can still walk, but it's going take some time to get used to.  Yuna…" he started.  "Yuna, other than constantly worrying about you, is perfectly healthy."

"Thanks Auron," Tidus said.  He felt a little uncomfortable owing Auron a thank-you, even though the crimson clad warrior has saved his skin many times in the past.  Tidus and Auron seldom had a comfortable relationship; starting with his days in Zanarkand. One day Auron had just appeared out of nowhere when Tidus was still a child.  He said that he was here to watch over him, as per his father's request.  Tidus, having such strong hatred for Jecht automatically put negative connotations with anything connected to his father.  That's probably when the resentment started.  Ever since then Auron has always been there, watching him, protecting him in some way.  However, it was obvious that Auron was not comfortable around children or adolescence.  Sometimes having a mentor that was as strictly business and as pressing as Auron was really didn't foster good feelings from Tidus.  But after a while, the young teenager finally got used to the idea of Auron around.  It gave him someone respectable to look up to.  Someone who was in no way close to being like his old man; someone who was a much better role model.  So by the time the pilgrimage in Spira had begun, he actually had a good relationship with him.  By the end, he actually felt…

"Tidus," he heard from behind him next to the door.  He turned around in time to feel Yuna's body pressed against his as she had practically leapt into his arms.  "Tidus," she repeated.  "I'm so glad you're alright.  You're ok aren't you?" Yuna asked in a flurry of speech.

"Yeah, I'm cool," he replied, not even picking up on the pun.

"I was so worried," she continued as she hugged him again  "I thought I had lost you again."

"Hey now," he said breaking away from Yuna.  He felt the hot gaze of Auron boring into his neck.  "I'm fine.  Are you ok?"

"Hmm," she replied.  "I'm ok."

"Some people are trying to sleep over here," Tidus heard from one of the cots.  Tidus looked up in time to see Rikku rise up off of her cot.  "But it is good to see that you're alive.  Now, I'm going back to sleep.  Pleeeeeease be quiet."

"Hmph," Auron replied.  "It's not as if you haven't been sleeping for two days."

Tidus was about to say something when the flaps to the tent swung open, revealing Kimahri and Brother, who was limping inside out of the cold.  His hand was placed on Kimahri's shoulder who was helping the Al Bhed inside.  Suddenly Tidus didn't want to be here.  He had a bad feeling about bringing Brother along in the first place.  Granted, he pulled his own weight more than enough, being deadly accurate with that Al Bhed rifle of his.  However that didn't change the amount of guilt Tidus felt over Brother's injury.  Tentatively, Tidus raised his hand at his fallen comrade, and gave out a meager "Heya."

"Rao," was his response.

"I'm sorry about your…um…loss," Tidus said, reaching his arm up and placing it behind his head.  "I really didn't…"

Suddenly a man came bursting in through the tent nearly knocking the two fighters down.  _What the heck?_ Tidus thought.  The man was wearing a pair of khaki pants with a blue button up shirt and a yellow tie.  Tidus couldn't help but notice that the shirt was torn in many places.  The guy had short black hair and an even shorter matching goatee.  He was also way out of breath, heaving so hard that he almost doubled over when he stepped into view.  

"My," he started in between gasps of breath.  "My…..Lady Summoner."

"Yes," Yuna said hesitantly.  She hasn't answered to that title in two years now.  To her, it seems as if her summoning days are so long ago that they're in another life.  Looking down at her apparel, she couldn't help but feel even less than a summoner than she already was.

"You…." the man started again, heaving for oxygen in the high altitude of Mount Gagazet.  "You're in danger…and so are your friends."

Suddenly Yuna's heart sank and her face paled.  

"Speak up," Auron demanded as he rose off the cot he was sitting on.  He also conveniently still had his massive katana in his hands.  "Who are you?" Auron said.

"Sit," the man said, now catching his breath, drawing his gaze to the warrior with the long sword.  "This will take a while to explain."

"Explain what?" Auron asked.

"Everything."

-----

"My name is Abel," he said after regaining his breath.  Suddenly recognition took off in Yuna's face.  _Abel,_ she thought.  _This man is one of Luzzu's most trusted confidants.  What's he doing here?_

"I'm Head of Spira Affairs to Lord Luzzu.  I'm here to tell you what he is up to, and what it means for you."

"I'm listening," Auron said.

"It all started about a year and a half ago," Abel said, about as non-chalantly as he was telling a fairy tale.  "Luzzu had claimed the office of Grand Marshall to the Assembly after Yuna stepped down and voted her confidence in him.  At first, he was humble to accept it.  I was one of his most avid supporters at the time, so he stuck me high in his cabinet.  It was about two months later that I noticed a change in him.  He started reading the newly appointed scrolls of Spira; he was pouring over them actually, looking for some kind of loophole in the governmental process.  He read those documents sometimes until the sun rose the next morning.  It was then that his demeanor changed.  He soon developed this five-step plan.  It was…" Abel paused for a moment.  "His plan to take over the world."

"His first phase," he continued, disregarding the looks of surprise from most everyone in the room.  "Was to implement the Crusaders in town protection.  He achieved that six months into his tenure, by passing a bill that would allow the Crusaders to still remain active in a reserve kind of way.  Their role was overly undefined, but some of their tasks would be to protect the cities and towns of Spira from fiends along with settling any domestic disputes if there were any.  But he had other plans for the Crusaders.""

"Phase Two," he continued.   "Was to create a Fayth."

"What?!?" Tidus and Auron exclaimed at the same time.

"How can he do that?" Tidus continued.

"A process that Luzzu and his scientist supporters came up with.  He initially took fiends from all about Spira and put them in a pressurizing chamber.  Then the process called for adding a mixture of pyreflies, megalixers, dark matter, shadow gems, and mana springs: quite simply, the most powerful liquid creation of magic available.  They called it mako.  They poured this creation into the pressurized chambers along with the fiends.  In short, they were making powerful, dead monsters."

"I don't get it," Rikku said.  "Why would anyone want to have a Fayth?"

"With a Fayth," Abel answered.  "You can summon things.  Magic, cities, or monsters.  And they can all do your bidding.  With a strong enough Fayth, you can even summon Sin.  But that wasn't his plan.  It would be too overt for him.  At first, using normal fiends, he couldn't get anything near the power that he wanted.  He would try to use spells; drawing from the Fayth he created.  Sometimes he would get a spark when he tried Thundaga; other times, he would just get nothing.  So his scientist started putting two fiends in together in the same chamber, some of those being most powerful fiends in the planet.  It only had minor results.  They were quite literally fusing fiends together, killing anything that was inside the chambers."

"Finally, he was getting desperate.  He had a timetable, and he was falling behind.  So he naturally tried more rash things.  One day, he brought in this…guy," Abel said, his voice tapering off.  "I was too stunned to even ask 'Why.' 'He was a homeless,' Luzzu had said to the people on the project.  'Better off now than he ever was before.'  It was then that I started to object.  'Using fiends is one thing,' I remember saying.  'Using humans are another.  It's murder' I had said.  He criticized me for my lack of vision.  He said 'If this works, then we will live like kings on this planet that could be our playground.'  I was manipulated into staying."

"Until one day, being not satisfied with the results of the homeless testing, he brought in an infant.  He said that it was the son of a black mage, and that it would be so powerful that only in its afterlife could it fulfill its potential.  I refused, so much that I had to be escorted away by security."

"I can still," Abel began, struggling for words.  "I can still hear its crying, and screaming as it was placed in the compression chamber."

"Chappu," Tidus said grimly.  _So I was right about Mangus and Luzzu_, he thought.  Even though the feeling of being right hardly offset the feeling of anger he was experiencing now.

"Yes," Abel replied.

"Is he still alive?" Yuna asked, her voice shaky.

"No," Abel replied, looking directly at the ground.  "He was combined with a dark element, they both died in the compression process."

Nobody spoke for a moment, allowing the mix of sadness and anger to pass over the room.  "That was when I quit.  That was two days ago.  I grabbed what documents I could, sabotaged the compression chambers, and left in the middle of the night.  But…there were guards posted, looking for me.  Lord Luzzu had a saying.  It was: 'Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.'  I was close.  He obviously saw me turning into an enemy long before I did.  And he was right.  But the time I had sneaked out of Bevelle, he had released a statement to the press, saying that I was a traitor and discrediting me.  So those 'authentic' documents that I had were now worth nothing.  My sabotage attempt…was righted the instant I was gone.  I thought I was a step ahead, but he was three ahead of me."

Abel sighed while flickering his brown eyes down towards the dirt.  He swallowed hard, trying to clear his voice before he could continue.  "So I went to the only place that I knew that I could be heard.  The only people whom he considered a threat.  The only people whom he wanted removed, before they thwarted his plans.  You guys."

A few seconds of silence passed through the room, allowing everything to sink in.  It was Auron who finally spoke.

"And Phase Three?"

"To use the power of the created Fayth," Abel said,  "He was planning on completely destroying Kilika, although I think that may be compromised."

"Why?" Yuna asked.

"If some unknown threat is lingering over Spira.  If something so huge and so powerful destroyed a city, and it was something that the origins were unknown, Luzzu could use the powers given by the Crusader Bill.  He could…"

"Mobilize an army," Auron said, cutting him off.

"Yeah.  He could ask for emergency power from the Assembly.  He would then have the army of the Crusaders at his disposal."

"So Jecht was right," Auron said, to apparently no one but himself.  "He knew that Luzzu was up to something big.  I know now what I must do."

"What are you talking about?" Tidus asked.

"You'll see," was Auron's only reply.

"Why do you think that our friends are in danger?" Rikku asked.

"Because," Abel started.  "Phase Three called for the destruction of Kilika.  But he knows, that I know all about his plan.  And if I were to defect, then he would assume that I would warn the people of Kilika.  For his plan to work, he must have a complete surprise attack.  He still needs to destroy some place to call for the power of the Assembly.  So I think his target now, would be Besaid."

"Not Besaid," Yuna gasped, thinking of her hometown, her friends, and Lulu and Wakka.

"Genius," Auron mulled.  "Take out two birds with one stone.  Complete Phase Three, and eliminate his threats all at once."

"Yes," Abel said.  "But he doesn't know that you guys are not in the village.  Also he doesn't know that I suspect Besaid."

"What are we waiting for?" Rikku asked.  "Let's go save our friends."

"E femm lymm dra Rekrfeht," Brother said, reaching for his com.

"I've already summoned the Rekrfeht," Abel said, apparently knowing the full extent of the Al Bhed language.  "It should be on its way."

Tidus looked at him with an emotion of skepticism and awe.  _He is really on top of things_, he thought.

Abel returned the gaze before saying: "Every second counts, when you're dealing with a madman."

"So all we can do is wait?" Rikku asked.  Tidus knows from experience that patience is not one of her virtues.

"Yeah, for a few minutes anyway, until the airship arrives"

Tidus looked down, still trying to digest everything that was just revealed to him.  _So my old man was right_, he thought to himself.  _I hope his plan works, whatever it is._  Tidus looked up, gazing around the room at his friends.  

_Everyone had lost so much in the past two years_, he absently thought to himself, trying to occupy his thoughts to pass the time._  I'm sure everyone would want nothing more than to put aside the fighting, and live happily ever after_, he thought to himself._  But I guess things don't work out that way do they?_  His gaze shifted to Auron, who's been dead for twelve years.  After years of resting in peace on the Farplane, he was snatched away, only to fight once more.  

His eyes then drifted to Rikku.  She took the job as Al Bhed Representative to help her people and their fight for respectability.  After her hard work, it seems that someone hell-bent on being a tyrant was going to eventually strip the Assembly of all their power, probably trying to dispose of the Assembly members as well.  Tidus shook his head still trying to believe that everything that he was told was the truth.  Desperately his mind tried to find some kind of loophole, or something that would disprove it.  He let out a sigh as he couldn't think of anything.

He looked at Brother.  His pain and loss was evident, as he was leaning on Kimahri for support.  His three toes were now gone, due to battle.  Tidus shook his head in disgust.

He then looked behind Brother to Kimahri.  Although the Ronso don't exactly show pain easily, it was obvious that he had been through a lot.  Seymour had almost destroyed all of Kimahri's people, along with his hometown.  _I guess there really is no rest for the weary_, Tidus thought.

He then glanced to Abel, the shorthaired man with the goatee and the ripped blue shirt.  Although he had just met him, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the man.  It was obvious that he was young and ambitious and loyal, until the breaking point.  His mentor turned out to be an evil, corruptible tyrant.  And although he had tried heroically to dispel Luzzu's effort, he had failed.  Tidus didn't know anything about him.  He had no idea if he had any family in Bevelle.  He could only imagine the pain of leaving them in the hands of the enemy, just to fight the good fight.

And then Tidus' gaze turned to Yuna.  Although she has progressed a lot lately, she still is far from the light-hearted, unselfish girl with the ever-present smile.  The streaks of gray were still noticeable in her hair.  The wrinkles are still barely recognizable.  Time had not been her friend, neither lately or her entire life.  She had lost her father when she was young, her friend Chappu, her guardian Auron, and the man she loved.

Tidus silently wished that fate had been a kinder ally to them.  Everyone had suffered immensely due to the fighting, or the fighting that was to come.  He didn't look forward to the future.  He just wanted to come back and live a happy life with Yuna and his friends.  He sighed as looked around the tent one last time, at his friends that had lost something along the way.  He looked at his allies, his battle partners, his friends, and his army that he has to fight with again.  The army of fallen heroes.

----

Author's notes:

1—Wow, that was a long one.  I thought about cutting this into two chapters, but I felt like everything had to be explained and it should be in one shot.  I hope I answered everyone's questions up until now.  This was the chapter that revealed all, well, almost all.  It's better to save some mysteries.

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Recommended reading:  Journals, by Kurt Cobain.  Ok, different genre but still good if you're into that scene.

4—Bring down somebody's GPA and introduce him or her to this game, they'll love/hate you forever.

5—Another reference: X-files.  This was back before the series shot itself all the way to Hell.  The character Deep Throat had a saying in season one: "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."  I just thought that was really awesome and it needed a place in my story somewhere.  

6—SG, ten points for picking up the reference.  That's a way for me to pay homage to FFVII.  You're the only one who picked up on it.  And just so you know, this is in NO way going to be a crossover.  I just enjoy making references to other FF games.  It's just a way to pay respect.  The thing about Zanarkand and Earth, well, not much was really explained about Zanarkand.  I just took some creative liberties and assumed that they had telephones and similar technology that we have.  (Hmm…maybe video games too?)  Thanks again for the constructive criticism.  Many people hate it, but I appreciate it.

7—Thanks kids.  Trey Loose, yes, I am alive.  Where in the hell have you been? J/k.  Lady Yuna, I'm glad you enjoy.  Short?  We'll, this thing may go to thirty chapters so I hope that's long enough for you.  Blurry, 'preciate it.  DemonStar, ok so I lied to you, but my excuse is that my hard drive somehow physically corrupted and I've been debugging it since.  That's why I'm a little late.  Maths, here's your next chapter.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The rushing wind blew Tidus' hair all over the place.  He could only guess at what his speed is.  _A hundred, a hundred and ten_, his mind questioned.  It was by far the fastest he had ever gone in his life.  It seemed as if his skin was cracking due to the windburn.  He tightened his hand on the railing of the Rekrfeht.  As he glanced around the deck he saw his comrades in similar measure of discomfort.

He looked at Lulu, whose hair was flying more than Tidus' was.  She said something but he couldn't hear over the roar of the gale-force winds.  As he looked back toward Yuna, he noticed that her gaze was fixed on the edge of the deck.  Tidus' squeezed her hand in his and she glanced up at him.  As she smiled he realized what she was looking at.  _The edge of the Airship_, his mind thought.  _The place where I jumped from the land of the living to the land of the not_.  Tidus smiled back at her, trying to push that thought from both of their minds.  That smile could always make Yuna's heart melt.

They had been on the outside of the deck for what seems like hours now.  As soon as the airship touched down in Gagazet, it raced as fast as its engines could push it towards Besaid.  Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief when the village remained untouched.  Since then, everyone was racing to evacuate the island.  One would think that an airship as big as the Rekrfeht would hold the entire population of Besaid.  However, the village has been steady growing more and more populated in the past few years.  The airship held all but twenty-one.

_Twenty-one people_, Yuna thought solemnly.  _Six families_.  "We'll come back for you, I promise," she told the last twenty-one people who had terrified looks on their faces.  

"Head for the mountains on the west side of the island," Auron said.  "Find some type of shelter.  When you see the airship, come to the beach.  We'll meet you there."

And that was that.  It took an hour for everyone to get the passengers to Kilika safely.  Now, as the airship came racing back for the remaining Besaid refugees, Yuna thought that maybe, just maybe, they could pull it off.

As if on cue, Cid's voice came bellowing from the loudspeaker.

"Guys, we have a problem here," he said.

"What is it pops?" Rikku shouted so she could be heard over the roaring wind.

"We have another ship on the radar outside Besaid.  We're running its call number now to see what ship it is."

"I have a pretty good idea who it is," Auron said.

"It's the Alexander!" Cid's voice said.  "Flagship for the Assembly!"

"Oh no!!" Yuna said.  "What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to switch to Plan B," Cid answered.

"What is Plan B" Auron asked as casually as he could.

"Well," Cid said, obviously hesitating.  "I have about a half a payload of missiles here…" he continued, trailing off at the end to let the all of the implications set in.

"Dad!!" Rikku pleaded, clasping her hands together  "You know what the Assembly will do to us?    Do you know what they will do to me?  After all we've worked for!!  After doing so much to get the respect from the rest of Spira."

"Sorry Rikku," Cid said.  "But if they're going to attack Besaid, then I don't want their respect.  Hang on to somein' kiddo's"

Rikku opened her mouth to protest, but then promptly closed it.  She knew what her dad said was right, even if she didn't want to accept it.  Working for a corrupt assembly of delegates was just as bad as working with them.

"Ahh!!" she screamed as she covered her ears and eyes.  It seemed as if the entire right side of the airship had exploded.  She opened her eyes to see a dozen or so missiles streaking through the sky to a target on the horizon.  Then abruptly the target seemed to be set ablaze.  Rikku could see clearly that the ship was in a state of free-fall.  She felt as if her heart was sinking as quickly as the ship was.  A few seconds later the roar of the explosion could be heard well after they had seen it.

"Damn," Cid muttered over the intercom.  "Only a few of them got through."

Tidus watched as the Alexander, now distinctly visible, fire its thrusters and stabilize about thirty yards from the blue ocean floor.

"So what do we do now?"  Abel asked to anyone who wanted to listen.

"Plan C," Cid responded confidently.

"Wha's Plan C?" Wakka asked.

"I'm gonna get close," Cid started.  "And then I'm gonna fire the grappling hooks.  You guys can then slide down to the other ship below.  It'll be just like old times"

Before anyone had a chance to object, Tidus felt the airship sway to the right and go perpendicular to the Alexander below.

"You sure about this?" Yuna asked.  It was plain and obvious that she was the only one that was not apart of the sky sliding into Bevelle the last time.  Her and Abel of course, nobody considered him as being even an option.  He did surprise everyone when he asked for a weapon though.  One of the friendly Al Bhed handed him an assortment of weapons.  He reluctantly chose a shotgun.  Tidus remembers him mumbling something about using one as target practice.  That qualmed any idea in his mind that Abel is going to see battle any time soon.

"We'll," Cid said.  "I'm pretty sure.  There ain't no Plan D unless any of you numbskulls can come up with one."

The silence spoke volumes.

"We'll then," he said.  "You guys better do a gut check, cuz here we go!"  Immediately Tidus heard a series of dull thuds from the left side of the deck as the steel cables came flying outward towards their target fifty yards below.

Tidus stepped up to the edge of the deck while tentatively looking down.  He felt his heart beating rapidly as the adrenalin began to pour into his veins.  He took one last glance back at Yuna, who was gazing back into his bright blue eyes.  Tidus closed his eyes, trying to burn that image into his mind as he turned around, and stepped onto the cable.

Bullets whizzed by Tidus' head so fast that he didn't even know they were there until three seconds after they had passed.  He was sliding fast, dangerously fast.  He looked over to his right and saw Auron bending his knees and hunkering down on another cable.  It made him less of a target and lowered his center of gravity, thus enabling him to slide quicker.  He also noticed that Auron's right hand was resting on the hilt of his katana.

Tidus reached for his sword to follow suit.

The deck of the Alexander came rushing up towards them.  Auron leapt from the steel cables onto the deck, with his Katana held high.  Using all his force and inertia from the virtual free-fall from the other ship, he thrust his sword downward, cleaving a Crusader guard in two before he even had a chance to blink.  Tidus hit the ground running.  Using every ounce of momentum he had he thrust the Brotherhood into the left ribs of a Crusader.  He quickly pulled the blade as he raced by the mortally wounded solder, still at a high speed due to his own inertia.  He struck another Crusader right below the left collarbone.  He turned around to check if the rest of his comrades made it ok.

He turned around in time to catch a glimpse of Yuna as her feet hit the deck of the Alexander.  She immediately rolled forwards, momentum carrying her over twice.  She then stopped, hunched on one knee, face forward, and her guns blazing.  Tidus turned back around to resume fighting just in time to see a Crusader guard cracking him between the eyes with the blunt end of his rifle.  Tidus vision doubled as he fell backwards, flailing his arms as he tried to protect himself a second too late.  He stumbled backwards into Yuna's open arms.  By now the Crusader had turned his weapon around and was now aiming at the couple.  

Yuna shot first, sending blood and brain matter out the back of his head onto the wood floor of the deck below.

Abel felt as if he didn't belong.  As he looked around the deck of the Alexander, it seemed as if everything had broken out into pure chaos.  However there seemed to be something more, some kind of pattern, beneath it all.  _Chemistry_, his mind said.  _These fighters all had chemistry between them, from fighting numerous battles in the past_.  

Tidus and Yuna were inseparable, never being more than five yards apart.  Tidus was slashing his Brotherhood wickedly, taking off arms, heads, and other appendages as fast as he could, not even thinking about defense because he knew his girlfriend had his flank.  Yuna was always behind him, casting white magic and unloading clips as fast as she could.  One by one Crusaders fell to her bullets.  Auron was on the south side of the deck, slashing away at any fool who made the fatal mistake of coming near him.  Lulu, however was probably the most effective tactician.  Instead of hitting single enemies, she would cast Flare or Ultima into a large group of Crusaders, sending them scattering like cockroaches.  This completely broke up any chance the opposition had at forming an organized attack, which would wipe them all out if given the chance.  Wakka's attacks were barely lethal.  He could strike about anything, but his blitzball seldom had the power to kill.  So he developed an interesting attack pattern: knock the enemy out with sleep, and either leave them be or let Rikku or Kimahri take care of them.

Then there was Brother.  Instead of charging full ahead with the rest of the group, he fell back towards the back.  After a few minutes he wedged himself between the railing and a few crates on the east end of the deck, practically hiding from view.  Using his powerful rifle he began to use sniper tactics, killing any opposing Crusader at random.  The result usually was one shot-one kill going as fast as he could reload his rifle.

When Abel watched all of this, he felt as if he didn't belong. He really didn't know what he was thinking when he stepped onto the steel cable pointed downwards to the Alexander below.  If he had stayed on the airship then he knew he would be safe.  He really didn't know why he followed Lulu into the heat of battle.  And now, watching the chaos play out in front of him, he really wished he hadn't.  He looked down at his shotgun that he reluctantly accepted.  It seemed pitifully small in his hands. 

Abel's gaze quickly shifted to his right, where a Crusader was bringing his sword up to bear.  Abel froze.  Terror gripped his nervous system and would not let go.  He tried to think but his mind felt as if molasses had been poured all over the gears in his head.  His gaze would not leave the eyes of the Crusader guard, even when he raised his sword.  He was smiling at Abel.  Suddenly the Crusader burst into flames, screaming in agony as his body convulsed and fell to the floor.  Behind him Lulu stepped into view.  She gave the shell-shocked businessman a wry smile.

Suddenly a shadow passed over Lulu's figure.  "Get down!" Abel screamed.  Without even thinking, Abel raised his shotgun up to bear at the same time the black mage dropped to her stomach.  Abel fired, sending the Crusader into a bloody mess.

Abel stood frozen for about ten seconds before he found his motor skills.  His facial expression was locked in terror as the repercussions of his action sank in.  _I just killed a man_, his mind repeated over and over.  _Lulu_, his mind thought.  He looked over to where the black mage was in what seemed like an eternity ago.  She was no longer there, moving farther into the field of battle.  Suddenly his vision jumped to his left, where another Crusader was readying his sword and coming for him.  Abel again fired without thinking.

Suddenly a great bestial roar erupted on the north end of the deck.  Yuna gasped as she saw Kimahri on his knees.  He was grabbing his right arm as a pool of blood started forming on the deck below him.  There was an obvious gunshot wound on his left shoulder.  "Kimahri!' Yuna yelled.  She then closed her eyes and focused her mind.  With a great deal of concentration she casted curaga on her fallen comrade.  It was then that another roar came from Kimahri, except this one was in determination and rage, and not of pain.  Yuna opened her eyes to see the Ronso plunge his spear into the jugular of the Crusader guard that shot him.  He then withdrew it and swiped the face of another one in one swift motion.  Yuna turned back around and resumed fighting.

Somewhere lost in this was Abel.  He was crawling on his hands and knees up the stairs on the far side of the deck. Once he reached the top of the stairs he hunkered down next to a dead body that was propped up against the railing.  Pure adrenalin was pumping through his veins now, causing his breathing to come in gasps.  His shotgun rattled in his hands, causing it to hit the support beam with a loud clang.  Abel quickly cursed himself.  His attempt to be stealth could have been ruined in one quick nervous action.  He took a deep breath, and tried to calm down.  He tried to focus on his target.

_On the count of three_, he ordered himself.  _One…two…three_.  In one swift motion he raised his shotgun and took aim at his target.  He shoved the butt of his gun up against his right shoulder, closing his left eye in the process.  He maneuvered the sights of the gun so that a figure was in the middle.

The Grand Marshall to the Assembly of Representatives of Spira, Lord Luzzu, was now in his crosshairs.

Whether or not it was Abel's sudden motion, or something caught the corner of his eye, or maybe it was the feeling that you get when you are being watched.  Whatever it was, something caused Luzzu to turn his way.  When he saw that he was now prey, he did something that most people couldn't do.  He smiled at Abel.  It was a mocking smile; one that said: "I bet you don't have what it takes."  Abel tightened his grip on the trigger.

It was then that Abel thought about what he was soon to do.  The man who had been his mentor, his leader, and his father figure in the last two years was now the same man he was aiming to kill.  The most powerful man in Spira was in his sights.  But Luzzu was more than that to him.  He had taken Abel in, and promised him the world.  Abel's hand fell from the gun.  _I can't_, he thought.

"Do it Abel!" came a cool authoritative voice from behind him.  He had no idea that Auron was even watching him.  "Do it now!" he commanded.

Suddenly Luzzu was in his sights again.  But this time it wasn't the same Luzzu that Abel had known before.  The one that he was looking at was the one who was corrupted by greed and power.  This was the man who seeks world domination.  This was the man who deceived many, and who had deceived him.  Luzzu had turned his back on him.  Luzzu had killed an innocent infant.  Abel fired his weapon.

The bullets bounced harmlessly off of the protect shield in front of Luzzu.

It was then that Luzzu's smile widened.  It was a smile of a man who knew he had victory in the palm of his hand.  Abel cursed himself for being so ignorant and stupid.

Suddenly Luzzu closed his eyes and bowed his head.  A cold chill blew through the deck of the ship.  Abel could feel some form of evil radiating from his old mentor in thick, bloated waves.  Fear gripped the pit of his stomach and would not let go.  Below the ship, the ocean waves started to rise.

"Levathian come forth!!" Luzzu said, his voice booming so everyone could hear him.  The waves grew even choppier as they started to turn over and crash below the battle.  Somewhere, underneath the water, a shrill cry came from a summoned beast.

Yuna had enough experience with Aeons to know what that cry meant for them.  Whenever an Aeon is summoned, the person who called it, and all of their battle allies are unscathed.  However, the opposing force takes the full blunt of the attack.  Yuna didn't like the idea of this.  Immediately she broke her concentration from attacking to looking for some place of refuge, or hopefully, some place of safety.

The waves had grown even larger, now rising up to no less than a few feet below the Alexander's hull.  Another bestial cry was heard as something crashed up through the deep blue water below them.  It was a serpent, with wings on its back and two red locks of hair behind each ear that flowed down its scaly body.  It had burning red eyes that seemed to be locked on Tidus.

The war on the deck of the ship had ceased as soldiers from each side gawked at the beast before them.  Some stared in amazement, and some stared in fear.  Tidus broke his gaze away to search for some kind of protection.  After a few seconds of panicked thought he slid across the floor of the deck towards the edge of the airship.  He whipped his legs around the base of the railing while jamming the rest of his body underneath it.  He bear-hugged the handrail as tight as he could.  He turned his face to find Yuna.  He saw her no more than ten feet away.  She had wrapped a rope around her arms.  Tidus tried to follow the rope with his eyes to see if it was attached to something.  But in the chaos of everyone running around scared he couldn't quite tell.  _I just hope it's attached to something solid, _he thought.  His eyes then returned to the creature as it let out another roar.  Fear twisted up his nervous system as he saw what was behind it:  A hundred foot tidal wave, coming towards them with blinding speed.

Tidus tore his eyes from the scene to find Yuna, one last time.  She looked afraid, and for good reason.  But her face showed something else. _Bravery_, his mind thought.  If she was going to get through this, it was going to be with his help.  Tidus' eyes said everything Yuna wanted to hear at that moment.

"I love…"

The tidal wave struck with the force of a concrete wall.

------------------------

Author's notes

1—A couple of things.  For starters, my hard drive decided that it wouldn't like me anymore.  Thus it died and took everything with it, which includes this story.  I lost ALL of this chapter and what I had written for the next seven chapters.  I like to plan things out ahead of time.  Plus it allows me to revise and edit the chapters many times before I post them.  In this case, I had no such luxury because I had to re-write all this from scratch.  So if my grammar is a bit off, or if my spelling is shady, or if something just doesn't feel quite like the other chapters did, I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could really do about it.

2—Squaresoft owns everything.

3—Thanks to the kids, you know who you are.  Blurry, thanks for continually supportive.  GG crono 4, hmph, if my work has interested you, then I've accomplished my goal.  Starlight, thanks for the suggestion.  Don't worry, Lulu is going to get her revenge; I just couldn't squeeze it in this way.  Maths and SG, yeah I know, Auron is supposed to be dead.  I'll explain his, um, development next time.  Oh, and SG, I know I'm a horrible person.  It comes with the package.  Twoflower?  Interesting….  Although it may seem that Abel is a prominent figure, I'm only gonna use him as an objective view when it's needed.  I'm not much on serious character insertion unless it's done just perfect.  And yeah, I've been kinda waiting on A Single Prayer.  But take your time and get it right.

4—Thanks to the newest kid:  Ichabod. I appreciate the words.  If my work has inspired you to start writing, well, that's about the best thing a writer can ever hope to do.  I appreciate what you said.  And as far as the blitzball thing.  Hmmm, it's a point well taken.  Now that I've lost all the material I had written, then maybe I can rework it for a BB game, but of course in the raunchy style that is my own.  I'll give it a thought.  Suggestions are always appreciated, just ask SG.  (BTW, no more descriptive clothing.  One of your many valid points)

5—I hope to get another chapter out soon, but I'm going to take my time with it and re-write it just the way it's supposed to be.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

When Tidus broke the surface of the water he felt as if every bone in his body had been fractured and all of his tendons were stretched well beyond normal range of motion.  Horrendous pain was shooting through his body as he was gasping for air.  His head bobbed below the water again as he was in mid-breath, causing salty seawater to go down his esophagus.  He broke water again, this time he was coughing instead of gasping.  The waves, still large in the aftermath of Levathian's attack, were tossing him all over the place.  He went under again, this time by choice.  Being a blitzer, he could hold his breath for a long time.  It would probably be more beneficial to him to work underwater to try and find his bearings.  It didn't help any that his head felt as if it was going to explode any second now.  Summoning all the strength he had, he started kicking his feet and swimming towards the shore.

"Yuna," a loud voice flowed down the beach.  "Yuna??" it screamed again.

"Tidus?"  After a brief pause Rikku screamed "Lulu?"

"Anybody?!?!" she yelled dejectedly.

Rikku had been running down the beach for fifteen minutes now, shouting names and wanting desperately to hear a reply.  Finally she had to stop running to take a breath, doubling over in the process.  

She had remained unhurt in the attack, the waves thrusting her but not snapping her in half.  Although she felt as if she had been placed in a blender with dull blades, she wasn't severely injured.  _I hope everyone else was as lucky_, she thought as she raised herself up and called out for Yuna once again.

As she started to run down the beach again, something caught her attention over in the surf.  At first she wasn't interested, but when it caught her eyes again, there was something familiar about it.  She walked over towards the object, re-wetting her feet in the process.  She gasped as she realized what it was.  Rikku bent down and picked up a stuffed Mog that was floating in the surf.  

"Lulu," she said, with a hint of desperation in her voice.  The Mog had come apart in the attack, with white cotton coming out of a hole in its back.  Suddenly a loud splash erupted behind Rikku and startled her, making a small inaudible noise escape her mouth.  She turned around to see Kimahri walking towards the shoreline.  His blue hair was matted and drenched to his sides as he walked.  He still had his spear in his right hand as a large wave came up from behind him and pushed him forward.

"Kimahri!" Rikku screamed, running out into the water.  "Are you ok?" she yelled wrapping her arms around the large Ronso.

"Kimahri fine," he replied.  "Kimahri still able to go on."

"Great!" Rikku replied.  "I thought I was the only one who made it out of that."

"Where's Yuna" Kimahri asked.

"I don't know.  But we have to find them all quick." 

"Which way you go?" he asked.

"That way," Rikku pointed down the beachfront.

"Hmmm," Kimahri growled.  "Lets find others."  With that, the Ronso took off running down the sandy beach, with Rikku waving her arms not far behind.  

"Wait!!" she screamed, yelling and racing with Kimahri as fast as she could.  "Wait on me!!"

------

"Yuna!!" Tidus yelled as he place his hand above his brow to hide the glare of the sun.  "Yuna!!" he screamed again, hoping for a response.  He had been running as fast as he could the moment his feet touched the sand.  Although the pain in his head and body was immense, he chose to ignore it.  

"Ack," he heard from the ocean water.  Tidus spun around to see what he source of the sound.  "Yuna!!" he yelled, recognizing the slumped figure coming out of the surf.  Yuna continued to cough, trying her best to get the salt water out of her lungs.  Tidus came rushing through the waves, leaving a wake of water as his legs splashed everywhere.  
"Yuna!!" he yelled again as he embraced her in the water.  "Are you ok?" he asked. 

His only reply was a steady stream of coughs.  Yuna placed her hand up against her mouth as she tried to clear out her lungs with another few coughs.  "You ok?" he asked again tentatively.  She shook her head "yes" as she sniffed.  

"Yeah," she finally said as a big wave came and pushed her back into Tidus' arms.  "I'm so happy you're alive," she said in between ragged gasps.

"Shhh" Tidus said while rubbing his hand between her shoulder blades.  "I'm fine, I was just worried about you, that's all"

"What about the others?" Yuna asked.  

"I don't know," Tidus said.  "I haven't seen anybody else."  
"We need to find them all," Yuna said.

"Ok, lets go then!" Tidus replied tensing his arm up like he does from time to time.  "I came from that way, so if we go down this way then maybe we could find them"

"Okay," Yuna said, taking a few steps to lead the way.

It took about twenty minutes of running down the sandy beach before they saw the others.  They saw the forms of Wakka, Auron, and Abel huddled around something on the surf.

"Hey guys!!" Tidus said, between gasping for breaths.  "Guys?!?!" he repeated when nobody acknowledged them.  

"Lulu," he heard Yuna gasp as she realized what they were huddled around.  "No!!"

They sprinted in a dead rush towards their fallen friend.

"Lu," they heard Wakka gasp as they came upon them.  "Lu?" he said again, bending over and placing his hand on her shoulder, shaking it a little.  "Please Lu.  You can't.  Please..." he said tailing off at the end, searching for words.  Tidus looked down at the form of Lulu.  He couldn't help but notice that her chest wasn't moving.

"Stand back!!" Yuna said as she bowed her head.    
A glow emitted and encased Lulu, with some shards of light bouncing down towards the sand.  Lulu gasped for air.  

"Lulu!!" Wakka screamed as he reached down and hugged his wife.  "Lulu!!" he said again.  "Are you ok ya?" he practically screamed

"We'll," she said in a raspy voice, struggling for her breath.  "I'd be doing a lot better if you wouldn't be squeezing me half to death."

"Sorry Lu," he said, backing off but still within arms distance.  "I was just worried about you, tha's all.  We all were.  We all thought you were…" Suddenly a motion in the grass behind Wakka interrupted him.  They turned around to see a man about in his forties struggling onto the beach.  He tried to speak, but in the process he stumbled onto the hot sand.  

"Oh my God!!"  Yuna exclaimed.

"The villagers!!"  Auron yelled.

-------

  


The flames from the torches flickered in the late dusk, sending ashes and burning embers high into the sky, only to flare up one last time and fall harmlessly to the sandy ground.  There was an aura of mixed emotions rising and falling as far as the embers from the torches.  There were many people not saying a word.  There was a lot of silence; silence that is as loud as war.  There were also many tears.

Yuna's staff felt as if it had gained ten pounds since she last held it in her soft hands.  Actually, it seemed as if it was now made of lead.  Everything seemed to be in slow motion: the people, the emotions, and the all too familiar faces looking at her.  She took a deep breath and tried to focus her mind.  With a heavy staff, and a heavy heart, she stepped out onto the crystalline water.

She began the sending.

For Tidus, the sending always brought back the same thoughts:  _Strange, yet horrifying_.  He was standing next to Auron about thirty meters back from the gathering of people.  He wanted to jerk his eyes away from the dance, but something held him, entranced him really.  There was something mystical that grabbed his attention.  _Seven dead_, a part of his mind abruptly said.  _And all because we told them to go to the mountains and hide.  'Wait on until you see the airship,'_ he remembered Auron saying.  _Damn it, we should have known better._

That thought was enough to break his gaze from the scene.  He looked to his right, where Auron was standing.

"Disheartening isn't it?" Auron said, in a manner such that he was sure that no one else would hear him.

"Yeah," Tidus agreed, not really wanting to pursue that venue of conversation.

"Or were you checking to see if I was going to disappear as well?"  Auron asked.

"No," Tidus said.  "I knew you wouldn't.  You're a dream of the Fayth now, like me."

"An alive dream of a waking Fayth," Auron said to Tidus, himself, or really no one.  "It feels strangely different to be completely alive now, instead of being an unsent."

"What's the big difference?" Tidus asked, making sure to keep his voice low.

"It feels as if I have more purpose now," Auron responded.

"Hmmm," Tidus uttered as he pondered this in silence.

"When are you leaving?" he asked after a while.

"The Rekrfeht should be here in about ten minutes," Auron replied.  "Can you handle leading this part of it?

"Of course" Tidus inadvertently snapped back.

"Just checking," Auron said with a smirk on his face.  "Hide your emotions."

"Why?" Tidus asked, feeling a bit as if his old mentor is still treating him like a child.

"In case you haven't noticed, everyone else's emotions are a little wrecked as of now.  When people are depressed or angered by the loss of their loved ones, then they will perform differently then they will normally.  Sometimes they will do irrational things.  You must not allow that to happen.  If you're going to lead this end of it, then you must be a pillar for them to look up to.  Being a leader isn't easy, you should know that by now."

As Tidus opened his mouth to reply a deep rumbling came from the sky.  The Rekrfeht appeared with its deck illuminated by the streaming external lights.  It was truly a sight to behold with all of its lights shining brightly.  It shifted in the air and started descending towards the beach.

"That's my ride," Auron said, shifting his katana on his back as he started walking towards the airship.

Tidus watched his mentor walk away on the sandy beach.  Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't really talked to his friend in over two years, or maybe it was the lingering theme of death in the air, but something compelled him to call out to his old friend.  

"Auron," he said.

The crimson clad warrior stopped and cocked his head in a semi-profile to Tidus.  The sea breeze was pulling his robe back, along with his hair, tousling it about.  "Yes?" he replied.

"You've got the signal right?" Tidus asked, knowing full well the answer.

"Yes," Auron answered, padding the right pocket of his robe.

"Then in five days?" Tidus asked.

"Yes," Auron replied again.

"Then in five days we will walk victoriously down the streets of Bevelle," Tidus said awkwardly.

A smile broke out on Auron's face.  Although his back was still facing Tidus, he knew that the old monk was probably grinning either internally or externally.

"Humph," Auron said in a semi-laugh.  He opened his mouth to give a reply, but when nothing came to his mind he just shook his head and started striding towards the Rekrfeht again.

_Five days_, Tidus thought to himself as he watched the crowd disperse around the beach.  _A lot can happen in five days._

--------------

 Author's notes

1—There ya go.  I got this out relatively sooner than expected, and I'll tell you why.  THE DAMN SNOW!!  The only relevant things I've been able to do lately are play my guitar, eat, read fanfiction and work on this story.  Bloody winter.  I've got some serious cabin fever set it.  As far as Fallen Heroes goes:  What's going to happen in five days?  Stay tuned.

2—Squaresoft owns everything, or all of the important stuff.

3—Thanks goes out to the kids again.  Maths, I'm glad you appreciated the Abel POV.  I was really hesitant to do that because people read fanfiction because they love the characters that are already established.  But if you kids like a dose of Abel every now and then, I may just do that.  Starlight, sorry if I confused you.  In hindsight I realize when I rushed things, I didn't really go into detail that much.  They were going to Besaid.  In fact they already went there once and evacuated most of the island.  On their way back to get the rest of the residents, they ran into Luzzu and the baddies.  Hope this helps!!  Blurry, glad you liked the last chap.  The action may slip a bit for a (very) little while, just to do some character development and stuff.  But it WILL get back to the good stuff soon.  Ichabod, to help with your points:  you are very perceptive.  No, I don't quite think Yuna's going to summon again.  All, or most, or the Fayths are sleeping soundly and quite happy about it.  About the gore, yeah I kinda didn't go as far with it as I wanted to.  (I'm kind of a violent person, okay not really.  I just like some gore.)  I cut back a bit for the same reasons you mentioned.  I think I'm going to go pretty sparce about that, just so I won't scare off any readers.  Target, glad you enjoyed.  YES, get some more RV out there as soon as you can.  It's a good story with a really good start.  SG, what up?  I'm glad you liked Levathian.  I was also really disappointed when he wasn't in FFX; him and I always liked Maudin (now where's HE from?)  I was kinda hoping both would find their way into X.  X had Yojimbo??  But no Levathian?  What where they all smoking?  Anyway, if Levathian wasn't in their version of the story he as a place in this one.   Don't worry, Abel is NOT gonna scrog with Lu (married), Yuna (kinda taken), or Rikku (not a good mix).  I think Abel is gonna live the single life.    

4—Thanks to the newest kids:  Milkshake and RDW.  I appreciate the good words.  Just so you know...suspense is a good thing, by my point of view.  Sequel?  We'll see how this one turns out first.  Thanks for the support.  Everyone, you guys are the reason the wheels keep going on this ride.

5—Next chapter?  Wakka goes through some soul-searching, a full-scale war is developing, and Ichabod (hopefully) will be very pleased.  But now I have to go eat pizza and listen to some Stone Temple Pilots, if anybody really cared.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

A loud metallic thud echoed through the empty room.

"Damn it," Wakka said under his breath.  His hand was still partially impaled in the metal door of a locker.  His knuckles hurt, but he didn't feel any external pain.  All of his pain was inside.  And in many ways, that is the worst kind of pain.

"Why'd it have to happen like this?" he asked the empty locker room.  "Why'd it have to be" he started, gathering himself.  He sniffed really loud, not caring if anyone heard him or not.  "Why'd it have to be Chappu?" he said again.

Suddenly tears streamed down the side of his cheeks, as he couldn't hold them in any longer.  He took his hand, now with a few drops of blood on the knuckles, and covered his face with his palm.

"Wakka?" a soft voice came down through the room.  Immediately Wakka turned away.  Even if it was just his wife, he still wasn't comfortable crying in front of her.  He then heard another set of footsteps behind her.  He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked, his back still turned away.

Lulu let a sigh escape her as she walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.  "This was the only place that you were truly happy," she said.  "You know, you could have told someone.  You've been gone a day, and Luca is a pretty far way from the island."

"I know," Wakka said as he turned to face his wife.  "I'm sorry."  He immediately looked down when he saw the form of Abel behind her.  Lulu could sense the tension.

"Abel," she started.  

"Yeah," he said in a low tone.

"Tell the others," she ordered.

"Ok," he said.  He grabbed his com as he turned to walk out of the room.

As soon as he was out of the locker room door, Wakka asked: "Why'd he come?"

"Because everyone else was searching elsewhere," she answered.  "Besides, I think he feels guilty for being the one to tell us."

"Damn," Wakka muttered.  

"You know Wakka," Lulu started.  "I know, he meant a lot to you.  But he was our child, yours and mine.  I know this hurts, but it hurts me too.  If you're going to walk away, make sure you take me with you."

"I know," he replied.  "I know.  I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have ya.  But I had to be alone.  But you knew where to find me."  

"I will always know where to find you," Lulu said as she reached in and hugged him.  "Right where your heart is."

When the two came out of the locker room many minutes later, they saw Abel staring up at the large electronic board.   Usually it shows the game live to the viewers that weren't fortunate enough to have a ticket to watch it in the stadium.  However when there's not a match going on, it just shows scores, highlights, news, and the blitz schedule.  Abel was watching intently on the bottom line that scrolls information across the screen.

"Heya," Wakka said waving at the man.

"Hey," Abel said timidly in return.

"Thanks for coming out here for me ya.  I appreciate it," Wakka said, his eyes never meeting Abel's.

"That's ok. You'd do the same for me"

Wakka sat in silence for a moment, pondering if he really would.

"You know," Abel said.  "I don't know if now's the time or you feel up to it, but the Goers season starts tonight.  They're taking on the Psychs at 9:00 under the lights.  I just thought," he said trailing off.  _Maybe this isn't such a great idea_, he said to himself.

"I think it's a good idea," Lulu said, barely above a whisper.

"Wakka?" Abel asked the former player and coach.

"Sure" he replied, half-heartedly.

"I'll tell Cid to pick us up tonight after the game then," he said reaching for the com.

---------

The crowd erupted in an orchestra of cheers as the Goers stormed out of the locker room and into the Blitz pool.  Wakka looked around to see most everyone around him on their feet screaming wildly and waving their hands.

"Geesh," he said under his breath.  "Of all the tickets you could have gotten, why'd you have to stick us in the Goers fans section?"

"Sorry man," Abel replied.  "I had no idea where they were located when I got them."

"It'll be alright," Lulu said.  

"And here come the Psychs!!'  The announcer blared over the intercom.

Suddenly the stadium transformed from cheers to jeers.  Except for Wakka.  "Yay!" he said as he started clapping his hands.  Lulu just stared at him, with her mouth gaped open.  "Wha'? he said, still clapping.  "I hate the Goers, so I cheer for whoever they play ya?"  

"Are you sure about that?"  Lulu asked skeptically.

"We'll.  You know I've gotten used to the Al Bhed around.  I mean, uh, the one's we know are cool ya?"  He paused a few seconds before adding: "Let's just watch the game ya?"

"Blitzoff!!" the announcer yelled.

Wakka turned his attention towards the sphere pool in time to see Bickson grab the ball away from the Psychs Eigaar.  The crowd cheered in unison as he passed the ball away to Abus.  

Lulu could tell that Wakka was having mixed emotions being here.  Obviously, his love for the game was showing through.  But the other fact was also obvious:  This was the first game of a season where Wakka wasn't a player, captain, or a coach.  After defeating Sin, Wakka came back to Besaid to coach the Aurochs.  His knowledge, love, and style for the game lead to a championship in his second year as a coach.  He had to do it with a bunch of rookies too, which stacked the odds even farther.  Tidus, of course, was nowhere in Spira.  Letty had put Blitzball behind him in order to be the Besaid representative to the Assembly.  So with a young team, the Aurochs shocked the world last year.  This year, however, Wakka took a leave.  It was time for his son to be born, so he put his priorities together.  Blitzball fell second to family.  However the plan was to return next year, maybe a little beforehand to help with recruiting.  Datto ended up taking over realm of head coach on a temporary basis.

Lulu had never seen him more proud or happier when the Aurochs won the cup last year.  That was, until the day that Chappu was born.

The crowd broke out into cheers again as Judda tried a shot.  The Goers goalie, Raudy easily blocked it back in.  There were many Luca fans that started to taunt the Al Bhed.  "Ya should have got closer before trying a shot like that," she heard Wakka say, obviously to Judda.  The ball fell into Graav's hands.  He started swimming towards the other goal.  Seemingly out of nowhere Zev Ronso came through and plowed Graav as hard as he could.  The ball spun out of his hands as he plummeted out of the sphere pool and into the stands.

"Woah-ho-oah" Wakka said.  "That was one hard hit."  Wakka stood up as he tried to see where Graav ended up.  The crowd started screaming in anger and disgust towards the pool, most of them screaming obscenities.  Wakka just kinda grinned to himself.  "That's a legal hit Goers fan's," he started, well under his breath.  "Zev Ronso has been a good pickup for the Al Bhed ya?" he asked anyone who wanted to listen.  

After a few moments Abel muttered a "Yeah," in response.  After a minute of Goers confusion Mep, the ex-high priest of Kilika temple entered the pool in place of Graav.  Mep ended up putting Yevon behind him, like the rest of Spira after Sin's destruction.  He then turned to his second love, Blitzball.  _He's been a pretty stellar reserve_, Wakka thought to himself.  _He's a little slow but he has good potential._

And the game went on.

The score was 2 to 1 at halftime, with the Goers in the lead.  Even though the Goers were the far superior team, Wakka was not discouraged.  A handful of Goers had to leave the sphere pool at one point or another because of injuries.  _There wearin' em' down ya?_ he thought to himself as the blitzoff to start the second half began.  Bickson set up a pass to Doram, who immediately passed back to Bickson as the was streaking towards the goalie.  He had a clean shot, and wound up and kicked it in for the score.  However he wasn't watching his blindside, where Eigaar was racing towards him.  He gave Bickson a clean hit right to the ribs.  A smirk came across Wakka's face as the rest of the crowd erupted in screams, curses, and other assorted comments.  _Yeah_, he thought.  _They wearin' em down._

Before Wakka knew it, there was only a minute and a half left in the second half.  The score was still conveniently 4-2 with Luca leading.  A few of the fans had already left the stadium, in an attempt to beat the rush home.  Wakka found himself fidgeting, as if he was coaching a losing team.  Abus had the ball and he was just trying to waste as much time as possible.  He was locked up with Zev Ronso, who was trying to steal the ball from him.  Without warning, Nimrook, the Psychs goalie left his position and flanked Abus.  He jabbed the ball out with his left hand and it fell straight into Zev's hands.  The free-agent Ronso then put all of his strength into his right arm and heaved the blue ball down the pool towards Blappa.  He caught the ball mid-stride with two Goers in front of him.  He faked a pass to Judda to the right, which froze Duram.  He then easily went around her and shot the ball over top of Bickson's head.  It went two inches above his outstretched hands.  It spiraled towards Raudy the goalie who appeared to have position.  But at the last moment the ball whizzed by his hands into the net.

Wakka cheered and looked at the game clock simultaneously.  _Fifty-three seconds left_, he thought to himself.  _Not a lot of time_.  He looked back towards the pool as the players were getting set up.

"Blitzoff!!" the announcer said.

Berrick and Mep both went up simultaneously for the ball.  Both grabbed it at the same time and tried to wrestle it away from each other.  Both players were wrapping both hands around the ball and spiraling inside the water as they tried to snatch it away from each other.  Finally Mep got frustrated and freed his left hand, only to punch Berrick in the face.  The Al Bhed, shocked by the foul, dropped the ball into Mep's hands.  

"Boo!!" Wakka and Lulu both yelled.  "Where's tha foul ya?" Wakka asked to the top of his lungs.

Mep was smiling to himself as snatched the ball up and turned back towards the Psych's goal.  As he turned around he got form tackled in the ribs by Judda.  A stream of bubbles escaped Mep's mouth as the wind was knocked out of him.  He then turned and fled towards the edge of the sphere pool as fast as he could swim.  Most of Graav's oxygen left his body with that hit and he needed a breath of air fast.

"Go, go, go, now!" Wakka said standing up in anticipation.  "Power play ya!  While they're short-handed."   He instinctively looked at the game clock.  _Seventeen seconds left_, he thought.

It seemed as if the Psychs heard Wakka, as they started pushing through the pool with their goalie trailing behind.  Duram came up on Judda, but she passed the ball away to Zev who was racing hard.  Two more Goers, Bickson and Abus, came up to guard the Ronso.  Both were completely shocked when Zev decided break through both of them.  He plowed hard into Bickson, causing him to fall into Abus' line of sight.  Zev then pulled right so he could have just enough room to pass.  The ball then trailed through the water into the hands of Blappa, who had position on the goalie.  There was nobody around him, so he placed the ball in front of him, wound up, and kicked it.  It started zooming toward the right, so Raudy followed suit, shifting that way.  The ball then struck the metal rim of the net, and ricochet hard to the left.  The goalie wasn't expecting the change in direction, so the ball went by him harmlessly.

The buzzer sounded indicating the Al Bhed score; with only three seconds to spare.

"Woo-hoo!!" Wakka cheered as he jumped in the air.  "That's how you do it ya?"

There were many people in the stadium who were giving the ex-Auroch evil looks at the same time mumbling under their breath.  Wakka didn't care.  It was now overtime.  

A loud buzzing came from Abel's right pocket immediately after blitzoff.

"Excuse me," he said as he reached in and flipped on the com.  "Hello?"

"Abel, where are you?" he heard Rikku's voice say in a rush.  

"I'm in Luca stadium with Wakka and Lulu," he replied.  "Why?"

"I know, I know.  But WHERE are you?" she asked.

"Ummm…..section 37, East side, row 4D"  he responded, glancing down at his ticket just to be sure.  "What is this?"

"You HAVE to get out of there, right now!!!" she said.

"Why?" Abel replied, growing more and more uncomfortable.

"Because…" Rikku said, tapering off at the end.  "Because Luzzu and the Assembly are going to declare war on the Al Bhed.  And you have to help us!!!"

Lulu noticed the shocked expression on Abel's face as silence overtook him.  "What's wrong?" she asked.

"We have to go now," he replied.

"Meet us out front of the Al Bhed Psychs locker room as fast as you can" Rikku told him.

"Ok," Abel said.  "Let's go"

"Come Wakka," Lulu said as her and Abel rising up in the stands.

"Wha'?"  Wakka said, obviously not wanting to leave the game.  "Wha's goin' on?  Where ya goin'?"

"We've got to go Wakka," Abel said, turning to look at him.  "I'm sorry"

"Blast it," Wakka cursed as he got up.  "Overtime just started.  Whatever this is, it had better be important."

---------

Authors notes:

1—A couple of things.  One, sorry for the delay.  I kinda went without internet access for about a week.  Also, as everybody pointed out last chapter's flaws, it proves my theory that Chapter Fifteen was my weakest chapter in this endeavor.  I apologize, but for some reason what I saw in my head wasn't accurately reflected in the chapter.  Anyway, here's hoping everything gets stronger from here on.  

2—About this chapter, it was something I hadn't planned on, but Ichabod suggested it, so here it is.  Describing a blitzball game isn't exactly my style, but I tried something different so I can hope to expand out and get a better range.  I think it went okay, but that's up for you guys to decide.  Would anybody want to suggest something else?  I 'll consider it, but no promises.  Things are right on the verge of all Hell breaking out.

3—Thanks to the kids.  Trey loose, NO, Abel is not a self-insertion.  I'm really nothing like the guy.  I kinda modeled him after Reeve, from FFVII.  You know, the good guy caught in a bad position.  Ichabod, here ya go.  I hope it's what you expected.  SG, yeah, Tidus' quote was very OOC, and I really didn't want to do it, but I did it anyway.  I tried to make that a moment where he matures a bit, with all of the emotions swirling about.  Plus the thought of impending war, battle, and maybe never seeing Auron alive (kinda) again.  Just a small thing of character development, but I don't really thing I quite pulled it off.  Thanks for the continued support.  Maths, I'm getting around to your story, I promise.  I had actually read half of it before you even posted the last review.  But as previously mentioned, the no IA knocked out my fic reading, but I'll jump on it soon and give you some feedback/suggestions.  Milkshake, no I don't laugh at you guys.  Ok, maybe a little bit, maybe, not really.  The new kid, Lady T, thanks a lot.  I appreciate your thoughts and support.

5—Squaresoft owns it all, just in case anybody cared.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

There were many Crusaders in the hallway, blocking the door.  From the look of things, they were waiting to arrest and take the Al Bhed into custody.  Just the sight of those uniforms made Abel want to puke.  He shuddered, remembering last time he saw a Crusader in one in them:  bloody and dead on the deck of the Alexander.  There was a lot of additional security running around too, so he stayed as hidden as he could.  He was wedged in a dark corner, watching the commotion about twenty yards down the hallway.  He also had his shotgun in his hands.  The security forces were outside the Al Bhed Psychs locker room, waiting on the team to emerge.  Someone said the game had just ended about five minutes ago.  Suddenly games really didn't matter that much anymore.  He looked around for any sign of Lulu, Rikku, or Wakka.  _Man, I hope this works, he thought to himself._

"Halt!" a voice came from behind him.

Abel's heart froze and his body tensed up.

"Turn around," the same voice said.  Abel obeyed, turning around slowly and trying to hide his shotgun behind his leg.  He realized, with a very small amount of amusement, that he was failing miserably.  He turned to see two head Security Officers with their rifles pointed at him.  Behind them were four Crusader guards.  

"Are you with the treacherous Al Bhed?" the first officer said.

Abel tried to open his mouth but his motor skills locked up, as they have a tendency to do in life or death situations.

"Answer the question," the other officer said.  "And get that shotgun out of your ass!"  Abel obeyed reluctantly, presenting his weapon in front of him.

"Kill him," one of the Crusaders behind the officers said.

"No," the first security officer said.  "We may need him alive.  He may have information regarding the Al Bhed's attack on the Grand Marshall"

"I still say kill him," the Crusader replied.

"By order of the United Assembly of Spira," the Officer started.  "I'm placing you under arrest for conspiring with the Al Bhed."  Abel tried to think of something to say, or some way to get out of his situation.  His mind drew a blank.  "I order you to come with us," the officer continued.  "I also order you to speak of any knowledge you may have of the Al Bhed conspiracy.  I also order you to raise your weapon, and shoot one of the Crusaders behind me."

_What??_ Abel thought to himself.  The security officer gave Abel a wry grin.  Abel raised his shotgun and fired, creating a hole of ragged flesh and bone in the smart ass Crusader.  The two security officers then turned around and fired their weapons at point blank range on the Crusader guards, sending blood and other bodily fluids spraying out onto the hallway floor.  Abel took aim and sent the last Crusader to the Farplane.

Suddenly a roar erupted outside the Al Bhed locker room.  The noise was echoing off of the confined hallway, making a deafening sound.  Abel turned around to see Crusaders falling to the ground in chaos in the aftermath of Ultima.  

Abel turned back around to face the officers.  "Who are you guys?" he asked.

"I'm Security Chief Biggs," the first one said.  "This is Wedge.  We're friends of Lady Yuna.  Wakka ran into us and told us that you'd be here.  You played you're part well."  _Played my part, a part of Abel's mind asked.  He was about to ask Biggs something when he heard Wakka's voice come bellowing through the hallway.  _

"Al Bhed comin' thru'!!"  Abel turned to see Wakka and Rikku leading the Al Bhed Psychs, their coaches, and staff out of their locker room.  They were coming down the hallway towards him when Lulu stepped into view.  "Let's go!" she said as she ran in front of Wakka and the Al Bhed.

"Thanks guys," Wakka said into the direction of Biggs and Wedge.  

"No prob," Biggs said. 

"What you guys gonna do now?"  Wakka asked.

"I don't know," Wedge replied.  "But I'm pretty sure our job as Security Officers are kind of thrown out the window."

"Wontcha come with us?" Rikku asked.  "Fight the good fight?"

 "What do you say Sir?" Wedge said looking at his superior.  

"Sure," Biggs replied.  "Besides, I was kinda getting tired of this job.  And you guys may need our help getting out of the city."

"Yes!!"  Rikku said.  "Woo-hoo!!  Thanks guys!!"

"Were going to the edge of Dock Four," Wakka said.

"We'll follow us then," Wedge said, turning and running down the hallway leading the way.  

Dock Four was only a five-minute walk under normal circumstances.  However, things were very far from normal.  The trek seemed to take hours due to the amount of Crusaders.  That also meant plenty of battles.  As covert as they convoy tried, things just didn't seem to work out that way.  

"The dock is right around that corner!" Biggs yelled at the top of his lungs as he fired his rifle in the direction of a Crusader squadron.  Abel followed suit and fired behind him not even looking at his target, but pressing forward as much as he could.  All the gunners had fallen to the back of the pack, hoping to take out the pursuing resistance.  _It seemed as if the entire city was on their trail_, Abel thought.

He turned the corner and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the pier stretch out towards the ocean.  Most of the refugees were halfway out by now.  It didn't even enter his mind what was to happen next.

"Oh no!!" Rikku exclaimed as the group of refugees reached the edge of the pier.  "Where are they?" she said slowing down and looking in all directions.

"Who's supposed to meet us here?" Wakka said with a skeptical look on his face.

"Reinforcements!" she answered.  "And a ship to get us out of the city!!"

"Ummm…guys," Abel said as he noticed a spotlight sweeping their way.

"You!!" A voice came over a loud speaker.  "Halt.  We have you surrounded!"

Rikku turned to see the Crusader unit, a good fifty person strong, slowly advancing on the group and walking out towards the edge of the pier.  Rikku looked around, trying to see if there was any way that they could escape.  All she saw was inky black water in all directions in the night.  "No!" she said again.  "This isn't right!!"

"Lay down your weapons," the guy on the loudspeaker said again.  "You don't have to die today."

"Wha'?" Wakka started.  "So you can execute us tomorrow?"

"What do you think Wakka?" Abel asked solemnly.

Wakka sighed before answering.  "There's no way we can all get out alive."

"Well I'm not giving up!!" Rikku said.

"Neither am I," Wakka replied.

"I think we're all with you," Blappa said from the back.

"We'll guys," Wakka said as the Crusader force advanced to within twenty yards.  "Get ready.   We all gonna go out fightin'."

Suddenly the base end of the pier exploded, sending the blood and body parts of Crusaders everywhere, including onto Wakka's shirt.  "What da?" he started looking down at the unrecognizable mess that blotted his shirt.

It was then that a huge spotlight came down from the sky and beamed on the group.  Wakka had to shield his eyes from the glare.

"This is The Falcon," a voice boomed from above.  "We heard you needed some help down there."

"The Falcon," Rikku exclaimed waving her arms upward.  "That's the airship of Kilika!!  Dad must have got to them!!"

Wakka watched in amazement as rope ladders came streaming down from the sky.  "We might make it outta dis' ya?" he said.  As he reached for a ladder, the pier underneath him shifted in weight.  

"Ahh,"  Lulu screamed as she started sliding as the floor shifted some more.  The destruction of the base part of the pier had significantly weakened its structure, causing it to sway back and forth.

"Lu!" Wakka screamed as he reached out for her hand.  The floor then shifted the other way and Lulu practically fell into him.  "We gotta get outta here!!" He then turned around and reached again for the ladder and started pulling himself up.

By then more rope ladders had fallen from The Falcon as the crew of the ship realized its folly in deploying the missiles.  More and more refugees started pulling themselves onto the deck of the airship.

"We got everybody??" Wakka said a few minutes later looking downward.

"Not yet," Judda told him.  

Wakka watched in horror as the pier violently shook to the right once and then crumbled and fell into the sea.  "No!!" yelled as he reached out, hoping he could grab whomever was left from forty feet in the air.  "Who was left?"

"Abel," someone said.

"No, not him!"

"Wait," Rikku yelled. "There's someone still on a ladder."  Wakka's eyes turned to the edge of the ship.  He saw a hand reach up and grab hold of the deck railing.  Then another hand emerged, and then the rest of Abel came into view.

"Abel!!" Wakka yelled.  "So glad you're alright brudda!"

"We got everybody!!" Rikku yelled.  "Let's get out of here!"

"Rodger that," the voice came from the loudspeaker.

The ship then fired its thrusters and started steadily inclining, leaving Luca below.  "Whew!" Rikku started.  "That was close."

"Where do we want to go?" Lulu asked.

The guy on the loudspeaker replied.  "We have orders to take you guys to Besaid Island.  I hope that's okay with you."

"Who gave the order?" Abel asked.  

"Cid," came his response.

"Dad," Rikku asked.  "But why wasn't he here to pick us up?"

"Cid and his crew are busy evacuating New Home as we speak.  He contacted us, told us the situation, and we volunteered to rescue you guys while he was busy trying to beat the Assembly to the punch."

"Besaid," Wakka said absently.  "We goin' home!!"

-------

Author's notes

1—Okay…..here it comes.  I'm sorry for the delay.  Truth be known, I had given up on this story (which means leaving everyone hanging.)  I started this story when I was in a barrage of personal problems, including, but not limited to: girl problems, loss of a family member, evicted from my apartment, break up of my band, etc.  Writing, in particular this story, was therapeutic in many, many way.  But since my last update, I've taken a turn that has things looking promising again.  Hence, I gave up on the writing therapy.  But something happened that I didn't expect:  I missed writing.  So now I have picked the story up again, and writing it for all the right reasons this time, which is the people I have left hanging.

2—I know I've lost most of my supporters by now.  I'll still say thanks even though you may never read this.  Those that do, your support has and still is very much appreciated. 

3—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Two days later…

The island of Besaid is far more crowded now than it has ever been, at least in Yuna's memory.  She looked around at the assorted villagers, Ronso, and Al Bhed that were scattered around the campfire as dusk started to descend.  _It's getting dark_, her mind thought.  _It's about that time_.

She hurried quickly towards Wakka and Lulu's hut, passing a group of Al Bhed refugees huddled together on the ground.  She immediately felt a pang of sorrow for them.  After all the Al Bhed has been through, now they have to live on an island far away from their home.  She sighed and continued walking.  When she stepped inside the hut doors she was surprised at the number of people that were scattered inside.  Wakka and Lulu were sitting on their couch in front of their small instant sphere.  Behind them, against the wall were Tidus and Kimahri.  Abel was sitting in the floor next to Rikku, with brother a few feet behind them propping his back against the wall.  Cid was sitting next to him, Indian-style and whispering something in Al Bhed.  There were a couple villagers in too, sitting around and waiting.  Her eyes drifted to Tidus leaning in the back.  He was smiling charmingly at her, gazing directly into the depths of her soul.  She returned the smile and walked over to him.  "Hey," she said, still looking into his bright blue eyes.  She wanted desperately to lean in and kiss him, but she restrained herself.

"Heya," he replied.  "You about ready for this?"

"I guess so," she replied.  "Even though we know what's about to happen."

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "But it's really not going to matter come tomorrow now is it?"

"I guess not…" she said hesitantly.

"Hey," Wakka said, cutting them off.  "It's starting."

Everybody then turned their attention to the small screen in front of the hosts.  Yuna looked outside and saw many people huddled around similar devices.  She and Tidus made their way to the front and knelt down beside the couch.  The image she was looking at made her blood want to boil.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer began.  "The Grand Marshall of Spira, Lord Luzzu."

A stream of applause rippled through the small speaker.  Luzzu was all smiles, waving to the people in the crowd.  

"Thank you," he said into the mic.  Another roar of applause erupted and Luzzu had to step back in lieu of the support.  He flashed his charismatic grin and gestured to the audience.  

"Thank you," he repeated.  "My fellow citizens of Spira.  I appreciate your good graces.  As great as it is to be here and accept this praise, certain circumstances have risen that prevent me from enjoying this as much as I can.  As many of you now already know, the Assembly's flagship, the Alexander, was fired upon four days ago.  I was on board, and I must say that without the crew of the ship, her captain, and the Crusader Guards that were on board, I may not be standing here today.  They all proved excellent just like the citizens of Spira are supposed to perform.  

He paused before continuing.  "Well, most citizens of Spira."

"The ship that attacked us, was the Rekrfeht.  As you know, that is the ship for the Al Bhed sector.  Now over the past two years, we have outreached to the Al Bhed with open arms.  Under the structure of the Assembly, we have included a seat for the Al Bhed society.  Many felt that it was an irrational move.  However, those people still were believers in the Yevon religion.  That religion says to not trust the Al Bhed because they use machina that is forbidden by the teachings.  Although that religion is now corrupted and dead, some can't help but wonder why Yevon chose to outcast the Al Bhed in the first place.  Maybe, just maybe, the lies of Yevon were based on some shreds of truth.

"After all, if we can't go on a routine stop to the Isle of Besaid, under a flag of peace without being attacked, unprovoked I remind you, then why should we trust their race at all?  Sure, some people may believe that they are still misled.  But even so, after all we, the rest of Spira, have done for them…" he paused.  "No, after all I have done for them, extending a seat to their culture and granting them access to a seat in the Assembly, for them to do this type of action gives me no choice but to say one word.  That word my friends, is 'treason.'

"Forty-one people," he continued, weaving his masterful web of deception.  "Forty-one sons and daughters of Spira died that day protecting me, the crew of the Alexander, and a part of Spira in that attack.  Forty-one.  These were Crusaders, crew, and civilians.  These could have been your co-workers, your friends, or your family.  It could have been anyone.  They died by a ruthless attack that was unprecedented and without cause or circumstance.  For this, I mark the Al Bhed and their supporters accountable of treason, and hold them traitors to Spira, and their citizens, which includes you my friends.

"Yes, dear citizens of Spira, I hold you responsible now.  If you see an Al Bhed, report it to the Crusaders or other authority.  They will handle the situation.  If you see anyone helping the Al Bhed, report him or her as well, because they are betraying the rest of Spira.  Do it for yourself.  Do it for the future of Spira.  Do it for someone's brother or sister or child who was killed that fateful day.  Do it for our own children, so they wont have to live under the shadow of a future Al Bhed attack.  But most importantly, do it for yourself.  Thank you, and good night."

"We'll that's it ya?"  Wakka said slowly, turning off the sphere.

"Yeah," Yuna replied, her voice cracking slightly.  "I guess that's it."

A fog of perpetual silence descended upon the room.  Tidus glanced around to see the expressions upon the many faces in the room.  He looked at Rikku and then quickly glanced away.  That was the first time he had ever seen the young Al Bhed cry.

"Listen," he said, softly at first.

"All of this is old news," he started.  "We all knew that this was going to happen.  And you know what?" he asked to no one in particular, still glancing around the room.  "This changes nothing."

"What is going to happen tomorrow, is still going to happen.  I want you to know that regardless of what that man said, we all know it is lies and it changes nothing.  And regardless of what he believes he can do to us, he is still our enemy.  And by this time tomorrow we will have taken care of him and reclaimed Spira as a free world."

Now as Tidus looked around the room, he saw expression changed from desperation and sorrow to something else.  He saw a flash of hope in everyone's eyes.  _"If you're going to lead this end of it, then you must be a pillar for them to look up to,"_ Auron's voice surfaced in his mind, still fresh from four days ago.  _"Being a leader isn't easy, you should know that by now,"_ it persisted.

A smile crept across Tidus' face as he continued.  "Now tomorrow, we're going to find him, hunt him down, and take him out!"

The mood of the room changed again, this time from hope to confidence as cheers and random applause erupted from across the tent.  His gaze went across the room and stopped at Wakka, who gave him a thumbs up.  Tidus pumped his fist in front of him, as he has a tendency to do.  

_It's starting to get interesting now_, he thought to himself.

---------

Seven hours later…

Tidus was lying on his back on the sandy beach, staring up towards the sky.  It seemed as if a piece of black velvet had over a million pinpricks in it as was held in front of a bright light.  It was beautiful.  Although he had given up looking at the stars along time ago, his gaze was still fixed.  By now his mind had drifted far, far away from the stars.  He was so entranced that he didn't even hear the footsteps coming up behind him.

"Hey," Yuna's voice trailed to him.

"Ahhhh!," Tidus yelled as his body rose 6 inches off of the ground in shock.  He quickly turned his head to see who the guilty party was that jarred him out of his daze.  His expression quickly turned to a peculiar grin as he noticed that his girlfriend was the culprit.  Yuna was smiling back at him, still extremely amused at the situation.

"You should warn me before you do that again!" Tidus said jovially.  

"Sorry," Yuna replied, walking his way.  "All I did was say 'Hey.'  How am I supposed to warn you of that?"

"Uhh…." Tidus started, reaching his hand up behind his head.  "I don't know, but I'll figure it out.  And then I'll tell you."

"You do that," she replied as she sat down next to him.  "Do you know what time it is?"

"Not really," Tidus asked.

"It's almost dawn," she replied.

"Hmm," he mumbled as if it didn't surprise him at all.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

"No.  I tried," he started.  "I guess I'm just too nervous," he admitted.  "I have a lot on my mind."

Yuna sighed before saying anything.  "I didn't want you to be the leader," she finally said.

"What?" he replied.

"I didn't want you to lead this," she repeated.  "I didn't want you to fight my battles."

"Your battles?" Tidus asked, with a confused look on his face.

"Yes," she replied.  "If I had done the right thing a long time ago, then this would not be happening.  There would not be any bloodshed tomorrow.  There wouldn't be a chance that…"

"Yuna," Tidus said softly, reaching for her hand and cutting her off.  "This isn't just your battle."

"It should be.  If I had done the right thing…" she said, tapering off at the end.

"What is the right thing?" Tidus asked hesitantly.

"I should never have stepped down as Grand Marshall," she answered.  "That was my position.  I _gave_ the position to Luzzu.  This is all my…"

"This isn't your fault," Tidus said before she could finish her statement.  "How were you to know that he would be corrupted?  How were you to know that this would happen?"

"I don't know," she started.  "If I could have just done things differently then, people wouldn't have died.  Then Garvis wouldn't have…" suddenly she burst into tears.

"Yuna," Tidus said gently while putting his arm around her.  "Yuna," he repeated.  "What's wrong?"

She wiped away her stinging tears and struggled to get the words out.  "The…" she started, trying to find the words. "Luzzu…he killed him."

"Who?" Tidus asked softly. 

"Garvis," she replied.  "The intern Al Bhed Representative.  He was covering for Rikku while she was with us.  He….they killed him in Bevelle.  It just came in."

Tidus didn't verbally respond, only holding her tighter.

"It could have been Rikku," she continued.  "It could have been her, only if things had turned out differently."

"Maybe," Tidus said staring forward.  "But you can't hold yourself responsible for these things.  If you had known, then maybe.  There was no way of knowing that any of this would happen."

Yuna's only reply was to wipe away another set of tears.

"Now come on," Tidus said getting up.  "Don't think as if it's your fault.  And if you said it is really near dawn, then we really should get some sleep"

"Yes," Yuna said using his hand to rise up.  "I guess we should.  After all, we have a war to fight tomorrow."

Tidus didn't hear the last three words she was saying.  He was too busy gazing at her in the soft starlight.  He was too enthralled by her hair, the way she moved, and her face in the faint light.  When she finally turned her head toward him, his eyes locked onto hers.  At that moment nothing else mattered to him.  Not blitzball, or his friends, or Zanarkand, or his nervousness, or what he had really been thinking about, or the battlefield that was waiting for him and his friends outside Bevelle tomorrow.  The only thing that mattered to him was Yuna.  

He slowly leaned forward, and their lips met.

A few seconds later they broke and Tidus withdrew a little bit.  His eyes were still locked on hers in that same loving gaze.  "I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Yuna said.  "I…"she started again.  "Promise me that you will be alright after we fight this last war."

"I promise to try my best," he said.

"That's not good enough," she replied looking down.  She had a new set of tears trailing down her cheeks.  "Promise me."

"I promise," he said taking her hand up and kissing its backside.  

"Thank you," she said.  "Thank you," she repeated as she hugged him.

"I told you that I would be with you always," Tidus said.  "Remember?"

"Yes," she responded.  "I could never forget."

"Yuna," Tidus started after a few seconds, emotion coating his voice.

"Yes?" she responded.

"You know I love you," he asked, even more nervous now.  _What are you doing_, some back part of his mind voiced out.

"Yes?" she said again.

"Will you marry me?" he said.

Yuna was crying again as she opened her mouth.  The word she wanted to say was the one that she couldn't.  She tried again but emotion took control again and no words surfaced.  She looked up into his bright blue eyes and shook her head "Yes."

"Yes," she finally said, after a long struggle with her vocal chords.  ""Yes," she repeated.  "Yes Tidus I will."

She jumped forward into his arms and they kissed again under a canopy of a million stars.

~*End of Part Two*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes:

1—Guess what?  We're now on the eve of destruction, war, and general action.

2—Squaresoft owns everything.

3—Alright, thanks are in order.  Evil Neko:  I'm glad you've enjoyed this, even if you've been a closet fan for a while, thanks for reviewin'.  Arwen, thanks for the support.  I may have lost some older fans because of time, but it seems as if I've already gained a few more.  That really makes this story worthwhile to me, which in turn makes me push myself to write the best that I can, which makes it worthwhile to you kids.  SG, I owe you my thanks for the beta.  Your influence on this chapter is big, especially with the complicated ending and which direction to go.  For everyone else, the ending of this chapter could have been REALLY complicated and probably not-so-good without SG's help.  Target…you're all-powerful now?  Man, I have been away a while.  Anyway, thanks for still having interest in the story. GG Crono 4, thanks for still bein' there…or here…or whatever.  Ichabod, thanks for still checkin up on this.  You've been one of the longstanding people too.  Yeah, the escape scene was the only part that I didn't write before my departure from the world of FFNet, so I had to do a fast arrangement and it shows.  Rose, you flatter me.  That is one of the best compliments in the world that my little fic could inspire you to write.  Reasons like that is the most rewarding reasons to write. 

5—As I plan this out, I'm seeing maybe 4-5 more chapters plus an epilogue.  Yes this thing is coming to an end.  It's been one hell of a trip, and we still have a war to fight!  

6—On a side note, I beat Kingdom Hearts.  I thought it was okay even though it was a game that wasn't necessarily geared to an audience such as myself.  It had its moments though.  The reason I began playing it was because of a file called Deep Dive that supposedly is a teaser for KH2.  I would recommend people watch that even if you have no desire to play KH.  I didn't, then I saw that teaser, and I suddenly had a desire to beat KH.  Deep Dive is bad-ass if anyone hasn't seen it, go to www.ansemreport.com and check it out.  Anyway, I'm rambling.  Until next time, keep out of trouble, or just don't get caught. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**~*Part Three*~**

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning…

The dew was still fresh on the blades of grass and the leaves of the trees.  As Tidus looked down from the crest of the hillside he could now see the fog clearing out and the walls of Bevelle peeking through the white mist.  The air was warming, knocking off the early morning chill. The sun was behind him, just now rising up over the hillside, causing him to shield his eyes when he turned to face his fiancée, his friends, his allies, and his army.  As he looked over the hill at the small armada gathered in front of him, he couldn't help but feel more nervous than he had in his entire life.  He was more nervous now than he was before any blitz game, or any boss fight, or even last night before he asked Yuna to be his wife.  

His eyes drifted to hers.  She was casually clicking the safety on and off of her pistols.  She offered him a warm smile.  Tidus swallowed hard as he thought of something to say to his comrades.  Everyone's eyes gazed up to him, somehow expecting a dramatic speech.  It was then that Tidus found the perfect words that captured the moment.

"For Spira," he said.

"Heads up!!" Rikku yelled immediately as she threw two Firaga gems into the air that she had been working in her hands.  Suddenly the mixture exploded sending hot red-orange sparks high into the sky.  The air became alive with a deep rumbling that shook Tidus' chest as the two great airships, the Rekrfeht and the Falcon ascended from the horizon.  

Streams of missiles came pouring out of the bays of both ships.  Yuna watched overhead as the missiles streaked towards the walls of Bevelle.  Suddenly it seemed as if half of the stone on the east side of the city was thrown outwards in the blast.  She raised her arms to protect herself from the raining rubble.  Another payload of missiles raced out and struck the remaining side of the wall that was still intact.

Once the debris from that blast settled Tidus looked backwards over the hill to his army.  "CHARGE!!"  he screamed, turning and bringing his Brotherhood to a hilt.

The mixed army of Ronso, Spirans, Al Bhed, mages, men and women charged up and over the hill towards what remained of the city wall.  Tidus couldn't help but notice that a few Crusaders had walked through the rubble and were waiting on them; their weapons were drawn as well.  _I hope you're right about this old man_, Tidus thought as he pushed his legs faster and faster towards the impending battle that lies ahead.

By the time that Tidus had reached the wall there were a good thirty Crusaders waiting for him.  He looked at one in the face and saw fear etched across his expression.  Tidus launched himself at that Crusader first, thrusting his sword in his abdomen.  Yuna was trying her best to keep up with Tidus, however when the fighting actually started she fell behind him as soon as she could.  She began unloading clips as fast as possible, feeling the slight recoil of the pistols in her hand.  She was always a few feet behind Tidus at all times.  It seemed as if he felt her presence, as he continually took the offensive knowing that Yuna was protecting his backside.  By now there were a flurry of bullets whizzing by as the Al Bhed formed a horizontal line behind the main offensive.  Each Al Bhed was brandishing a rifle in his or her arms, sending a spree of lead at each Crusader that poked their head out of the rubble.

Without warning the gates on the far side of the Bevelle wall opened up and hundreds of Crusader Guards poured out into the fields.  

"Look out!!" Wakka screamed, ducking as a series of Crusader bullets whizzed by his head.  Wakka turned his attention to the Al Bhed guy to his right who dropped at Wakka's warning.  As he knelt down and looked closer he realized that he was missing a large portion of his forehead.  Wakka let out a sigh, seconds before screaming in agony.  
"AHHHH!" he yelled grabbing his right calf.  He pulled his fingers away and the tips were coated in blood. "Damn it," he screamed, lifting his leg up to take the pressure off.    
"Hold still," he heard Lulu say as she reached in and produced an elixir.   Immediately Wakka's pain alleviated and he sat his foot down gingerly.  
"Thanks ya," he said looking up toward his wife.  His expression changed as he saw the shadow of a Crusader descend upon him and his wife. "Lu, down!" he screamed fumbling for his blitzball.  Wakka instincts told him that he was a second too late, and that this was a battle that he couldn't win because the opponent already had the advantage.  But damn it he had to try.  It was then that the Crusader's expression changed as well.  Instead of the casual smile of knowing he had a kill, his face transformed to pained recognition and his gaze dropped to his torso.  Sticking out of his chest was the sharp end of a warrior's spear.  The Crusader then casually dropped his hand to touch the blade, as if unsure if it was real or not.  Kimahri then ripped his spear to the left, cleaving the poor Crusader in two while saving his friends.  Kimahri abruptly turned and went farther into the battlefield.

---------

Luzzu was watching all of this from the top of the east side of the castle wall.  He was smiling, easily amused at the scene playing out before him.  Even at this hour in the morning, he seemed professional, casual, and it appeared that he had things all under control.  

"Where are the airships now?" he asked his aide.

"They've retreated to the south.  Apparently they're useless now."

"Just like this skirmish below us," Luzzu said.  "Useless.  What does this little rebellion think it can accomplish this morning?  Deprive me of sleep?  That's about the only good it will do them."

"Sir," the aide started.  "Should we start asking for a surrender and take prisoners?"

Luzzu appeared to ponder the question, as he reached up and swiped a strand of his fiery red hair out of his eyes.  

"No," he finally said.  "Kill them all."

"Are you sure?" the aide asked.

"How many reserve Crusaders do we have?"

"Another three squadrons."

"If those people want a fight, send in the reserves.  Let's see where their resistance lies then.  Probably next to their leader's dead body."

"Yuna sir?" the aide asked.

"Yes," Luzzu asked, a smile forming on his lips.  "And while you're at it bring her to me.  Alive is preferable, dead is just as good."

"Yes sir"

--------------

Tidus was slashing his sword so fast he could barely see it.  It seemed as if he had some kind of blue-green aura in front of him, as the blade was going so swiftly.  He lunged forward feeling the sword plunge into a body.  He then twisted his body and flashed the sword to his right impaling it into another Crusader's temple as he was taking aim in the other direction.  Even though Tidus was fighting as if he was in a winning position, he could tell the odds were dwindling with every Crusader joining the fray.  He jumped headfirst into a group of five Crusader Guards.  He didn't even bother to slash the closest one, instead going behind him moving towards the others.  He knew that Yuna was directly behind him.  With the sound of a few bullets and body fluids spraying past him, he knew that it was a good choice to ignore that specific fighter.  He slashed his sword only six times and that particular group of fighters had met the end of their collective lives.  Even though he was still fighting intently, he knew it was almost that time.  He just needed some kind of signal or event to persuade him. That signal came in the form of Yuna's screaming from behind him.

He turned around with his mouth gaped open, hoping that maybe his mind was playing a trick on him.  But sure enough, Yuna was on the ground, with the knife end of a rifle gouged into her ribs. 

"AHHH!" Tidus yelled as he spun around and hacked the Brotherhood at a tremendous speed towards the Crusader that had attacked Yuna.  The poor fighter was decapitated before he even knew that he was attacked.

"Are you alright?" Tidus asked, bending down on one knee.  

"Yes," came Yuna's struggling response.  "Just…" she started.  "You have to pull it out before I can cast a spell."

Tidus reached his hands down and grabbed the rifle.  He tried to bring himself to pull it, but he found himself locking up and gazing at the blade end, now deep within Yuna.  The rifle was now shaking in his hands.

"Tidus," Yuna said painfully.  "Please"

He focused his mind, concentrating on what he had to do.  In one quick motion he jerked the gun as hard as he could, sending a stream of blood onto the ground.  Almost instantly Yuna yelled "Cure" and a field of magic surrounded her.  

"Alright?" Tidus asked, putting the rifle down and grabbing the Brotherhood.

"Yes but…Tidus!!" She screamed.  Immediately Tidus flattened his chest to the crimson stained ground as Yuna took aim with her guns.  An instant later Tidus heard two shots ring out and a heavy weight fall on him.  Disgusted by the fact that a dead person was on top of him, he rolled to the right and jumped on his feet.  _It's time_, he thought.  

"RETREAT!!" he screamed grabbing Yuna's hand and turning and running as fast as his legs could carry him.

----------

"Sir."

"Yes," Luzzu replied.  

"It appears as if the force is retreating."

"Already," he asked, grabbing his aide's pair of binoculars.  "Why so soon?" he asked no one in particular.  "The fun is just starting."  He then focused the lenses and saw that, indeed, the resistance was fleeing.  He scanned the battlefield until he found what he was looking for.  

"Blast it," he said, watching Yuna running step-for-step along side Tidus towards the hillside.  "She lives to fight another day," he said dropping the binoculars and giving them back to his aide.  
"Not now," he thought aloud.  "I won't have it.  This ends today."

"Sir?" his aide questioned.  

"Send the remaining three squadrons of Crusaders over that hill and kill any survivors they see.  We must not have another battle after today.  Let us crush our opposition once and for all."

"Yes sir," his aide replied.

--------

Tidus was still holding Yuna's hand pushing his legs as fast as he could.  With a quick look back he noticed that his allies had taken the idea as well.  He also noticed that his enemies had chose to pursue also.  Tidus blinked and turned around, going faster and faster away from the bloodshed behind him.  As they raced across the hillside Tidus suddenly stopped and dropped to the ground out of sight, with Yuna falling beside him.  They began rolling down the same hillside that he addressed his friends earlier today.  He then heard the dull thud of other bodies falling down and rolling down the hill as well.  When Tidus quit rolling, he raised his head ever so slightly to watch the scenario unfold.  

Within seconds the Crusader army had topped the hillside, only to see most of their opposition rolling towards the bottom of the hill, where fresh reinforcements were waiting.

"VENA!!" Brother yelled to the top of his lungs.  Tidus could feel the wake of hundreds of bullets whizzing overtop of his head as they raced to the now dumbfounded Crusader guards.  More bullets streamed out, hitting their marks and dropping Crusaders like flies.  When all of the Crusaders had either met their death or retreated out of view, Tidus raised his Brotherhood and the bullets immediately stopped.  He then found his feet and helped Yuna to hers.  "Now!" he screamed running back up the hillside, with fresh reinforcements behind him racing upwards, killing anything that moved.  

Tidus immediately stopped when he reached the crest of the hill.  He couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him.  It seemed as if Bevelle had reinforcements of their own.  _They're sending everyone now_, he told himself while watching the armies march his way.  _Everyone and their mothers_.  A smile crept across Tidus' face as he charged forward yet again.  When he was but a few feet away from the armada, he reached for his sword, taking aim at the closest Crusader.  He raced forward and plunged his blade deep into somebody's ribs.  A shotgun blast rang out to his right and he quickly glanced that way.  He saw Abel pumping his weapon and firing again into the heart of the opposing army. Suddenly green light filled the air and a loud whine sifted through the battle.  Seconds later Lulu unleashed Ultima and thirty Crusaders started their voyage to the Farplane.

-----------

A smile crept across his face as he watched the battlefield play out in front of him.  Actually, it was more of a smirk.  Everything was planning out as he suspected it would.  Below him his chocobo fidgeted uneasily.  Sir Auron reached into his right breast pocket and pulled out two Firaga gems.  He gazed at them with his one good eye as he silently prepared himself for what lay ahead.  Auron closed his eye and squeezed his hand, putting his entire strength into the two gems.  He felt heat starting to flow from his palms.  He then heaved back and thrust the concoction as high as he could into the morning air.  A couple of seconds later, hot red and orange sparks flew in all directions.  Abruptly the forest began moving as if it were alive.  Tree branches shuddered and foliage gave way as roughly a hundred armed warrior monks riding black chocobos emerged from the forest line, unnoticed yet by both armies.  Auron and the Bevelle chapter of Yevon Warrior Monks were strategically placed between what was left of the castle walls and the flank of the Crusader army.

"CHARGE!!" Auron said in his trademark authoritative voice as he led his militia into the field of battle.  He spurred his chocobo, urging it faster and faster.  When Auron was but a few feet away he reached for the hilt of his Katana.  The Crusaders were still unsuspecting, even when Auron braced himself and swung his Katana full force into a fighting Crusader Guard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes:

1—Haha, what did everyone think about that one?

2—Squaresoft owns everything, including my soul.

3—Recommended reading:  This Is My Story, by Tuatha Danaan.  A very good Auron fic.

4—Thanks to those who have reviewed: Lance Robinson, SG, Finmister, Rose, and Target.  I hope the next few chapters are up to everyone's expectations, as things are coming soon to a close.

5—Oh, to answer a question I had by Lance, Auron is a dream of the Fayth now, which is why he is not yet in the Farplane.

6—Thanks to everyone for their continued support!!


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

 A few hours later…

The wind blew Tidus' stark blonde hair backwards as he looked around in the late evening's light.  He was watching Yuna's every action, every strand of her hair, and every part of her elegant movements as she danced her dance.  

She was performing another sending.  The day's horrific battle had cost for many soldiers on both sides the ultimate sacrifice.  Although they had suppressed the Bevelle army, by sheer luck and timing of the Warrior Monks, it was hardly a "victory."  Many parts of the ground are still stained almost as crimson as Auron's attire.  Tidus glanced to his right at the thought of the wary warrior.  Auron returned the look before muttering a "humph."

"And you said the next time we'd meet we would be walking down the streets of Bevelle," he started.  "Victoriously at that."

"I know," Tidus replied.  "We still have that part to do."

"Are you ready?" Auron asked.

"Yes," Tidus responded. "When do we move out?"

"As soon as she's finished," Auron said, turning his head in Yuna's direction.  "It'll be dark then."

"Do we have to take her along?" Tidus asked hesitantly.

"That is your decision," Auron started.  "But she is a valuable fighter.  Also she makes you a better soldier just from her presence."

"I guess I should," he admitted.  "She would be mad as Hell if I didn't"

"True," Auron replied solemnly.  

A long silence ensued as both warriors watched the mystical sending.  

"Why didn't Luzzu use his powers today?" Tidus questioned, as if the statement suddenly hit him.  The idea of Leviathan in the battlefield during the heat of battle sent chills up his spine.

"His cover would have been blown."

"Huh?" Tidus questioned.

"If he revealed his power to the world, in an attempt to destroy us, it would in turn destroy him.  His ability to use the Crusaders is based on the fact of an 'unknown threat' destroyed Besaid.  If he were to summon the beast, or use any of the powers granted to him by his personal Fayth, then the world would know that he is more than what meets the eye."

"Ahh," Tidus started.  "I see." 

With that Tidus turned around and started walking absently around camp.  The battle had been massive, and although it seems as if his side won, it was a bitter victory today.  What was left of the army he entered battle with this morning were scattered around a series of campfires.  They were also intermingling with the warrior monks that Auron still has seniority over.  Most of them were passed out due to emotional trauma, fatigue, or both.  

A nagging feeling crept up on Tidus as he saw his friends and fighters scattered here in plain view of the Bevelle Castle_.  I hate using them as decoys_, he thought bitterly.  The idea of using these people to occupy the field in plain sight didn't set well with him.  Although it was the logical thing to do, it still wasn't an easy pill to swallow.  _Everything was working as planned so far_, he thought, thinking immediately of his Dad.  _Yeah old man, you really knew what to do this time.  Lets hope you still have all the cards.  _

Suddenly the nagging feeling got worse, almost to the point to where he had to double over.  It wasn't the feeling of using his comrades as decoys; it was something else, something deeper.  Tidus suddenly realized what it was:  it was the feeling that something bad is going to happen.  _Premonition_? his mind asked.  _I don't know_, he answered himself.  _I would just feel better if Yuna wasn't going with us. _ He turned his eyes back toward her.  He could see that she was walking his way, done with her duty.  _It's time_, he thought.

---------------

The water of the Via Portrufico was cold.  Tidus couldn't help but shiver as his body bubbled back to the surface after he plunged in.  Behind him he heard a dozen other splashes as more and more people jumped in behind him.  

"I don't remember it being this cold, ya?" he heard Wakka say.  

"Or this dark," Rikku replied.

_Yeah_, Tidus thought.  _It does seem to be darker and colder._

"Don't move," Lulu said.  Suddenly a fireball appeared perfectly suspended a few feet above the water.  "Better?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "Much.  Hey, how did you make it through here Auron?" he asked, turning to the waterlogged monk.  "When you came through to recruit the warrior monks?"

"Instinct," Auron replied with a smirk on his face. 

"Let's get moving ya?" Wakka said behind them, swimming up towards the front.

"Okay," Tidus said, kicking his legs forward and following the flame as it flickered down the musty tunnel.  

"How far is it down this way before the tunnel splits?" Yuna asked after a while of swimming in the murky water.

There was no reply.

"Auron?" she said, turning to look at him.

"Be very still," he said in a hushed tone.  

Tidus immediately stopped swimming.  He could feel that something was in the water.  Seconds later a strong current blasted by him and he heard Yuna gasp in surprise.  Suddenly a cry emitted from the depths of the tunnel and the water bubbled as if it was suddenly on a large open fire. 

"What is that?" Wakka asked.

"Trouble," Auron replied bringing his katana to bear.  

Suddenly a large serpent creature rose from the black water and stared the intruders with insane red eyes.

"Auron?" Tidus asked, never taking his eyes off of the beast before him.

"We have no other way," came his response.

"Wakka, Rikku," Tidus started.  "With me."

With that, Tidus plunged underwater as the fighting began.  The fireball that provided light had swelled to massive proportions as Lulu casted Firaga on the creature.  Yuna started unloading clips at the beast, but her bullets were off the mark because she was kicking her legs trying to stay afloat.  The creature lunged forward sending a wave of water her way.  She kicked her legs more to stay on the surface but the wave collapsed over her, sending water down her esophagus.  She broke water again only to start coughing and flailing her arms wildly.  Another wave crashed and she went under again.

Underneath the surface Tidus plunged his Brotherhood into the scaly surface of the water fiend.  Through the water he could hear its muffled scream.  Rikku flanked the creature, and then dug her claws into its spine, twisting away flesh and blood.  Wakka threw his blitzball at the creature, momentarily blinding it while Tidus slashed away some more.

Auron found himself totally helpless.  Due to the weight of his weapon, all he could hope to do is to hold himself afloat by grasping the wall and hope that some part of the beast came within striking distance.  If he dared to swim outward, the weight of his Katana would push him under.  Auron was disgusted with his lack of abilities.  He winced as he heard Brother's shot ring out, sending the blast echoing horribly off the confined tunnel.  As his eyes traced the battle, he noticed movement in the water to the left. He immediately recognized what it was and turned to face the wall.  He drew his massive Katana and slammed it into the wall, crudely sticking half of it inside the concrete.  He then turned around and leapt into the water as fast as he could. 

Yuna felt her hope wash away with every waning second.  How long had she been underwater?  She didn't know.  She kicked her legs with every ounce of her soul but the water currents caused by the large fiend kept pulling her under.  Her only thoughts kept drifting to Tidus.  _Tidus_, her mind called out, hoping that somehow she could reach out to him.  _Please_ _help_.  She kicked her legs again but to no avail.  Suddenly her arms brushed up against something.  She reached frantically for whatever it was, but the current had pushed her down farther.  Something then grasped hard at her hand.  At first she thought the fiend had come for her, wanting to kill the last bit of life out of her.  Then she realized that it was something far smaller but still of equal strength as it pulled her up.  _Tidus_, her mind thought.  She then broke the surface and gasped for air as if it was the first breath she had ever taken.  Her eyes opened and she draped around the figure before her.  

"Tidus," she said in between breaths.  "Thank you so much.  I thought I was dead.  I love you."

When she received no reply she swung her head back to look him in the face.

"Ohh," she said, surprise overtaking her.  "Auron," she started.  "I'm sorry….I mean, thanks.  I mean…"

"It's okay," he replied grinning sarcastically at her.  

Suddenly a small grunt came from the crimson-clad warrior as his body became heavy in the water.  Yuna noticed a trickle of blood running down the side of his face.  She also noticed a pair of red eyes glowing at her in the darkness behind Auron.  

"No," she said gathering her strength.  With every passing second Auron became heavier and started pushing them both underwater.  "No," she repeated, still trying to focus her mind.  She closed her eyes as a wave came up and slapped her in the face.

"Holy!!" she screamed out, pouring her entire strength into one spell.

Just when the water level eclipsed her forehead she was pulled backwards towards the wall.  She let out a small muffled scream while still holding onto Auron's limp body.  "Kimahri has you," she heard behind her.  

"Kima-" she started.  Water rushed into her mouth causing her to cough repeatedly.  "Au…," she started, fighting the water in her windpipe.  "Au…..Auron," she finally pleaded.  As Kimahri reached for his set of Elixirs, the hallway was bathed in harsh white light.  The light grew so bright that Yuna had to squint her eyes against it.  Several beams of laser-like light streamed down the tunnel and impaled the serpent directly behind its head.  The creature screamed one last time, throwing what remained of his head into the air, and then slowly sank into the bottom of the water.

"Uahhhhh," Yuna heard behind her.  She turned to see Auron lying on a walking ledge on the side of the tunnel.  Kimahri was towering over him, with an empty Elixir in his hands.  "Ahhh," Auron exclaimed as he slowly rose to a sitting position.  

"Auron?" Yuna asked hesitantly while swimming to their side of the tunnel   

"How did we fare?" the elder monk questioned, still obviously exasperated from the ordeal.  

"We won," she answered.  "This time."

"Good," he replied, rising to his feet with the help of Kimahri and Wedge, who lowered his rifle to help the warrior in his attempt to get vertical.

"There you go," Wedge said.  "Rest yourself," he commented as he propped him against the wall.

"No time for rest," he replied.  "We have a mission at hand."

"Suit yourself," Wedge said, shrugging his shoulders.

With a splash, Tidus emerged from the water, shaking his head like a dog trying to dry itself off.  Two subsequent splashes signaled that Wakka and Rikku were no worse for wear.

"Hey," Tidus said, wiping his wet hair out of his eyes.  "What is that?" he questioned, pointing behind Kimahri and a now semi-fresh Auron.  Auron painfully turned to follow Tidus' gaze.  He saw light trickling in from a vent overhead, with a ladder on the wall leading upwards.

"That is where we enter," Auron said collectively.  

"All of us?" Yuna asked, trying to remember the exact infiltration plan.

"No," Auron answered.  "Just the lucky souls who get to fight Luzzu head-on.  Everyone else follow me down the tunnel toward the lab.  There's another way in."

"So this is where we split up," Tidus said, pulling himself out of the water and sitting on the ledge.

"Indeed."

"We'll," Tidus turned as he faced his friends.  "Let's do this."

A battle party of Tidus, Yuna, Brother, Cid, and Biggs climbed the ladder towards the ventilation shaft above.  Auron led the way farther down the tunnel with Lulu, Wakka, Rikku, Wedge, and Kimahri into the darkness that awaited them.

--------

"Someone's approaching from the south," Zev Ronso proclaimed.

"What?" Abel asked quickly.  "Where?"

"There," the Ronso pointed.  

Abel's eyes focused as he was trying to decipher if the person was friend or foe.  He was tall with long hair and a rough exterior.  "Arm yourselves." Abel said still focused on the figure walking in the moonlight.  There was a flurry of activity as the resting soldiers reached for their weapons and advanced on the figure, now no more than 20 yards away from the camp.  

"Who goes there?" Zev said, pointing his spear at the person.  The figure stopped, as if this wasn't what he expected.  A husky voice floated up to the camp.

"A friend," it said.  

"How do we know for sure?" Abel called out.

"Whose in charge here?" the figure asked, completely disregarding the last question.

"I am," Abel responded.

"Where's Tidus?" 

"None of your business," Abel said, his heart beating steadily faster.

At that the figure started laughing as if that was the funniest joke in the world.

"Who are you?" Abel asked to the insane laughing man.

The figure then stepped forward into the light from the campfire, undoubtedly not scared by the assortment of weapons pointed at him.  "My name is Jecht and I'm here to tell you that Lord Luzzu has sent for reinforcements from Luca.  And if you want to get out of here alive you had better lower you're weapons and we had better start making preparations."

_Jecht_, Abel's mind thought.  _Tidus' father?  But isn't he…_?  After a moments worth of pondering he decided that, if Auron is fighting from beyond the Farplane, it is distinctly possible that Jecht will too.  

"How do you know this?" Abel asked.

"Because I was once Sin, and I know more than you do, pencil-pusher."

"Lower your weapons," Abel instructed.  "And let's talk."

-----------

An explosion rocked the floor as smoke rose up to the ceiling.  Tidus burst through what was left of the ventilation plate as fast as he could, his Brotherhood already out and ready to strike.  To his surprise, there was no enemy to fight. He glanced both ways to get his bearings.  He was in some kind of hallway, with bright fluorescent lights beaming down overhead.  He turned around to see Brother halfway perched out of the ragged hole.  He had his feet on the ladder and his rifle in his hands, glancing around looking for resistance.

"All clear," Tidus said.  Brother jumped up and out of the way so Yuna, Cid, and Biggs could clear out.

"Which way did Auron say to go?" Tidus asked.

"That way," Yuna pointed.  "To the staircase.  He said the stairs will take us all the way to the top floor where Luzzu's chamber is."

"Okay, let's move." Tidus said taking the lead.  He walked quickly down the hallway until it intersected with another in a T-junction.  Not exactly sure which way to go he turned right, straight into a security officer on patrol.  With three quick slashes of the sword he disposed of the guard.  

"We should get to the top as soon as possible," Cid said, staring downward at the dead body.  "Ain't no way of telling how many more there are.  Plus if there on a patrol, somebody's gonna notice that this feller is gone and cut up.  And that means bad news for us."

"As soon as possible?" Tidus questioned.

"Yep," Cid started.  "Probably should."

"Then keep up old man," Tidus replied.  He then turned and sprinted down the hallway and started running up the stairwell.  _Sixty-four flights_, his mind said.  _Keep up the pace._

---------

"So what do you suggest?" Abel started, his voice trembling a bit. 

"Got any ale?" Jecht responded.

"No," Abel replied looking across the campfire as Jecht eased himself down onto a log.

"We'll then that's a bad start," Jecht replied.  "The Lucan army is going to be here in about an hour.  They think that they can march in here, under the cover of darkness and wipe out everyone."

"Can they?" Abel asked.  "How big is this army?"

"Pretty big," Jecht started.  "Two squadrons big.  You know the reinforcements Bevelle sent after your fake retreat?"

"Yeah," Abel responded.

"Well that was planned by me," Jecht said, completely off topic.  "Anyway.  That was three squadrons.  So they have a good amount of soldiers headed this way."

"You said they would arrive while it's still dark?" Abel said, pondering his options.

"Yeah," Jecht said.

"What if we could use that to our advantage, and not theirs?"

"Hmph," Jecht said.  "I like the way you think."

------------------------

"Shhh," Auron said tensing his body.  It looked as if his entire body was listening.  _Footsteps_, his mind said.  _Coming this way_.  He couldn't tell how many there were but he knew that it was more than plenty.  _It only takes one to call for backup_, his mind thought.

He had considered himself and his companions pretty lucky thus far.  They had emerged out of the underground tunnel that is Via Portrufico unscathed.  His little party had actually worked their way in silence without being detected.  He knew that the laboratory was close.  The footsteps coming his way probably signified that a patrol was being used.  That meant something was guarded. That meant something important.  Auron turned his head and looked behind him.  Rikku was the closest person, being only a few feet back.  He said nothing, only looking in her eyes as he whipped his Katana off of his back.  She slowly nodded and flexed her hands inside her claws, apparently signaling that she was ready.  It seemed as if everyone else took the hint and readied their weapons. 

Auron closed his eye and focused his mind on the footsteps again, trying his best to gauge their distance.  His mind then began a count until when he thought the soldier would turn the corner.   

_Five…Four…Three…Two…One…_

------------

Author's notes

1—It's all coming down to the wire now!!  *Puts hands together and gives an evil glare.*  "Excellent."

2—All names, characters, places, and events referred to are copyrighted by Squaresoft.

3—Hmm….since you've read this far, go ahead and click that little review button and tell me what you think.  To everyone that has reviewed, thanks for the continued support, which means volumes to me.  I owe you 3 dollars of Canadian money.

4—Until next chapter, always remember that "When in danger, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout."


	21. Chapter TwentyOne

Chapter Twenty-One

The steel of Auron's katana blazed forward with incredible speed, sending beams from the fluorescent lights cascading off of the cutting edge.  The blade sliced completely through the unsuspecting Crusader Guard as he turned the corner on a patrol.  Rikku dashed out from behind Auron and impaled her claws in the abdomen of the next Crusader.  He screamed out in a mixture of agony and surprise, alerting the remaining five guards.  Rikku twisted her hand inside her weapon and the fighter dropped to his knees in a clump.  

Kimahri sifted through the hallway and swiped his spear across the face of a guard who had just readied his weapon a split second too late.  The Ronso then stepped forward and plunged his spear into the guard's torso, sending his opponent to his death.  Moments later a blitzball whizzed by his head.  The blue, spiked ball skimmed Kimahri's horn and took down a guard who was reaching for his com, sending him motionless and to the floor.  Lulu then encompassed the remaining resistance in a powerful flare spell.  The screams and the blast echoed down the hallway to the bolted door at the end of the corridor.

After taking care of the business at hand, Auron proceeded up the hallway to the heavy steel doors ahead, only to quickly turn around after hearing a gunshot echo off of the hallway.  He looked backwards to see Wedge with his rifle pointed down to a Crusader, who apparently wasn't as dead as Wakka thought he was.  The Crusader was now one hundred percent dead as he had a ragged hole of flesh and blood between his shoulder blades.  Wedge then looked up at the elder monk and said: "I had to get in on the action somehow."

"Hmph," Auron replied, obviously not amused.  "Then why don't you come up here and use that rifle of yours and see if you can blast this lock off the door?"

"Sure thing," Wedge said opportunistically, moving in front of Kimahri and taking aim at the deadbolt lock on the large door blocking their path.  

A shot blasted through the hallway, moments before Auron stepped into a dark laboratory.

-----

A man in a Crusader uniform turned the corner and practically ran into the protection guards standing guard outside Luzzu's office.

"Slow down officer," another Crusader had said, approaching him cautiously.  "What's the rush?" he ordered.

"The enemy," the first guard said, now gasping for his breath.  "Infiltrated," he said heaving in his husky voice.  

"What?" another Crusader said stepping up to the scene.  "Where?"

"The lab," the out of breath guard said, doubling over.  "It was a massacre."

"The basement lab?" he questioned, glancing back towards the company of guards posted outside the door.  "Call them," he instructed pointing a finger at a pale-looking Crusader in a uniform that appeared two sizes two big.  

"Yes, yes sir," he replied, fumbling for the com.  "This is Company D calling Company Y leader, please respond."  After a few seconds of no response he tried again.  "This is Azreal of Company D, the Guardians of the Grand Marshall calling Company Y respond now."  

After a few more seconds of silence he looked to the company leader with a frightened expression on his face.  "Sir?"

"You," the commanding officer said turning back to the older Crusader who was just now catching his breath.  Stay here with Jesse, Cyan, Bruce, Cecil, Roy, and Cage," he said pointing to the perspective people.  "Protect the Grand Marshall, that is your priority. Everyone else with me," he said turning right and running towards the elevators.

The remaining guards followed the commanding officers, running down the hallway in the direction of the elevator.  Once the squadron had cleared out of sight, one of the guys who had been pointed out as Cage, addressed to the older Crusader who had alerted them to the invasion.  "So what was it like down there?" he asked casually.

"Oh, I don't know," the first Crusader replied, fully composed as if he hadn't run at all today.  "I wasn't there."

"Then how did you know that the enemy was there?" a perplexed Crusader in the back asked.

The old Crusader raised his head back, showing his face and flashing a wry grin, replied: "Because I sent them."  The man donned in Crusader apparel then seemingly produced an Al Bhed pistol out of his pockets and raised his guns directly at the guard and fired at point blank range, sending brain matter and blood against the wall.  More shots rang out as Yuna turned the corner and unloaded into two more Crusaders, sending them to the floor in a bloody mess.  Biggs and Brother emerged into view producing their rifles as well.  Two more shots were heard as two more Crusaders lost their lives.  The man who struck first turned his aim toward a scared guard fumbling for his rifle.  Cid pulled the trigger and caught the man right inside the heart.

"Good work Cid," Tidus said, stepping into view, swaying his sword casually.  "But I think you should keep that outfit.  It brings out the best in your eyes," he continued with a joking smile on his face.

"I'll think about that later," Cid replied.  "Now lets go in there and kick some Luzzu ass!"

Suddenly the grand double doors blasted off the hinges and nearly crashed into Biggs.  "Ahh," he screamed, jumping out of the way.  Tidus shielded his blue eyes from a small number of debris that came flying his way.  When he looked back at where the doors once were, a sinking feeling hit him hard in the pit of his stomach.

"You were going to do what?" a voice boomed out.  Tidus stepped forward and into the presence of Luzzu, with his grand black cape seemingly swallowing him up and his hair almost fiery red with rage.  

"Uhhh," Cid replied, picking himself up off of the ground.

"Kick some Luzzu ass!" Tidus finished for him.  Immediately he lunged forward and thrust his Brotherhood toward the sternum of the Grand Marshall.  Every bone in Tidus' body popped as his sword stopped as if it had struck a concrete wall.  Before him he saw a familiar protection grid encompass Luzzu.  He was also smiling back at the blonde warrior.  Suddenly an artic chill flowed through Tidus' body as he crumpled to the floor in a fetal position in the wake of Blizzaga.

"I give you respect for making it this far," Luzzu said stepping past Tidus as if he was a discarded play toy.  "But your journey ends here."

An array of bullets flew towards Luzzu, only to ricochet onto the wall to his right.  Yuna stood in awe as the thought struck her that she unloaded two clips at him and _he reflected them all_. 

A bestial roar erupted through the room as Kimahri raced across the wrecked lobby at blazing speed with his spear raised high.  "No," Tidus said, still struggling for his breath.  Kimahri plunged his spear downward only to hear a snap of wood as his spear broke as it hit the protect field around Luzzu.  Kimahri roared again in disgust as he threw the wooden peg in his hands aside.  He then pummeled his fist in the direction of Luzzu's face.  Tidus grimaced hard, as he heard the sound of every bone and knuckle in Kimahri's hand shatter as if he hit a wall.  That is a sound that will haunt Tidus in his dreams for years and years to come, if he makes it out of here alive, that is.  

"You fools," Luzzu said, still with his confident grin etched across his face.  "I have more power than you can ever dream of.  And now, it will become your nightmare."

----------

A set of black pupils squinted in the darkness.  He was looking for anything; or maybe just some sign of movement.  He saw the remnants of campfires littered between the forest lines on each side.  The flickers of flames were the only things that he saw moving, other than the armored black chocobos.

"What do you think sir?" he asked his commander, turning to see his superior in his trademark blue Luca Crusader outfit.

"I think they're asleep," came his reply.  He glanced over and saw that his superior was scanning the camp area through binoculars, even though they were only fifty yards away.  

"Sir?" he questioned.

"There must not be many of them left.  We should be able to march over them like we we're marching over ants."

"But you think there all asleep?" his subordinate asked, unease coating his voice.

"Yes," he replied placing his binoculars inside his pouch.  "And we should wake them up."  He paused before continuing.  "Full charge.  Kill anything you see."   "Oh," he started again, correcting himself.  "Word has it that there are a few women fighters with them.  Make sure they're not going to harm anyone, and then take them alive.  They could bring a good price on the streets of Luca.  And you may do what you wish with them until we get back home," he said, hoping that could motivate his troops even more.  "Full charge, now!!"   

"FULL CHARGE!!" his subordinate yelled to the Luca branch of Crusaders.  With a battle cry the two squadrons of men advanced on the camp with their weapons drawn.  The first of the soldiers opened fire on the tents, ripping holes into the fabric and hopefully flesh of any napping resistance.  The other Crusaders took the idea and started slashing their swords or firing their guns at the tents and any sleeping fighter.

It was then that a laugh trickled down into the valley.  One by one the Crusaders stopped what they were doing, as they realized something was amiss.  There was no resistance.  There were no guards on patrol, and there were no soldiers staggering out of the tents bloodied and dying.  The only thing that was living seemed to be the black armored chocobos who were warking curiously at the Crusaders.  There was no one else. There was no sound, except for the deep laugh echoing down the valley.  

"Oh, shi…" the commander said as he realized his folly.  Suddenly the forest on both sides sparkled as fire from ignited gunpowder flickered within the trees.  Trapped between the two sides of dense forest and armed Al Bhed, the Crusaders dropped, as they were insects striking the windshield of an airship.

The commander, who no more than four minutes ago thought he was walking into a massacre, realized that he was indeed correct.  But he had no idea that he was leading his troops into their own bloodbath.  He opened his mouth to scream "Retreat", but a bullet impaled itself into his lower jaw, sending pieces of his head flying in various directions.

Jecht stood next to a tree close to the forest line, still safely out of sight.  His face had a smile so large that if he felt that if he smiled any more, the edges of his mouth would meet in the back and the top portion of his head would flop off.  His arms were crossed in front of him as he watched the last of the Crusaders fall to the ground.  _So these are Luca's best,_ he thought to himself.  _Not even a challenge_.  

"Hmph," he said, turning to Abel, who was a few feet behind him perched on a tree.  "You sure we don't have any ale?"

"Pretty sure," Abel said, with an equal smile on his face.

"Because we could use a victory drink right about now."

Some soldier who was within a few feet of Jecht, obviously enthralled by the idea of a victory drink of ale, screamed out into the pre-dawn air.  Suddenly the forest on both sides of the camp exploded in a series of screams and shouts as the soldiers were celebrating victory, life, and the idea of winning this war.

-----------

Wakka was entranced.  The random assortment of computer monitors, subtle beeping, and flickering of light didn't distract him.  His gaze was fixed ahead, onto a glass enclosure that stood six feet high.  He had tears running down the stubble on his cheeks.

"Why?" he finally asked, his voice cracking and barely audible.  "Why?" he asked again.

Auron walked behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.  It wasn't very much, but that small gesture seemed to help Wakka in a small way.

"Lulu," Rikku said hesitantly.  Lulu's gaze was still fixed on the same thing that Wakka's eyes were: a compression chamber, with their infant son inside.  You couldn't exactly make out his features, because there was a dark element inside as well.  There was also some kind of glowing liquid encasing the two.  Even though they were partially obscured from view, Wakka could still see his son's face.  

Lulu had taken a few steps towards the glass.  She could tell, as anyone else could, that her child was dead.  She placed her hand upon the glass, as if she could almost touch him.  She had her own tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Luzzu is a sick man," Auron said in his collective stature.  

Wakka looked down quickly.  He didn't want to see it anymore.  His heart was aching so much that he felt as if it were going to explode in his own chest.  Suddenly rage swept over him.  He thrashed his blitzball to the right, not even looking at where it went.  Sparks flew as it crashed into a computer monitor.  Wakka then picked up a lab chair and started pounding the table with it.  He didn't know what he was doing, and he didn't care.  In one last act of hatred and disgust he turned and flung the chair at the wall.  It struck a power box and fire and sparks started shooting out towards them. 

"Ahhh," Rikku screamed as she covered her head and knelt to the floor.  After a few seconds the flames trickled off and quit.  The monitors also dimmed and then shut themselves off.  Auron noticed that the light above the compression chamber dimmed, and then faded away.

----------------------

Pain.

Agonizing and excruciating pain.

Yuna could describe it no better, if she could speak at all.  She was curled up in a fetal position outside Luzzu's office, screaming in agony.  Bolt after bolt of high-voltage electricity poured into her body as Luzzu unleashed his fury onto her.  Another wave of Thundaga struck her and she screamed out, convulsing in the pain.  The electricity singed her hair and her clothing and created a distinct smell of burning flesh.  

She wanted to die.  

Just when she thought she could take it no more, it stopped.  She tightened up as hard as she could, expecting a fresh set of voltage to pass through her. Only it didn't.  After a few seconds of preparing her body for what was sure to be her death, she forced herself to open her eyes, although only one seemed to be responding.  After a few seconds of focusing, Yuna saw Luzzu standing menacingly over top of her.  However there seemed to be something different about him this time.  He looked afraid.  His expression showed fear for the first time ever that Yuna could ever remember.

"How?" Luzzu muttered, looking down at himself.  "How could this have?" he asked again, trailing off his thoughts.  

Yuna tried to sit up as much as she could, but pain trickled through her body and she collapsed back on the floor.  Behind her she heard Tidus' voice.

"It seems like you've ran out of gas."

Tidus staggered forward through the debris that was once a waiting office.  He stepped over something that looked like a desk chair, now mangled and twisted.  His left arm was pulled inside and was not moving.  Much of the flesh of his arm from the shoulder down had been burned off by the attack.  However, he still had the Brotherhood in his right hand, and a look of determination on his face.  

Luzzu stepped back and tried to focus his mind.  However this time it felt as if something had been ripped from him.  His power that once consumed him was gone, and it left a ragged hole in his soul.  He felt naked, scared, and he felt death bearing down upon him.

In one swift motion Tidus advanced, still holding his burned arm close.  He swung his sword awkwardly, but Luzzu quickly ducked out of harms way.  Now suddenly energized by Tidus' attack, Luzzu seemed to snap back into reality.  He turned and fled down the hallway, stepping over Yuna as he went.  

Tidus gave chase long enough until he was standing overtop of her.  

"Yuna," he whispered, kneeling down beside her.  He had to admit that she didn't look good.  Her hair was fried in many places and her skin and clothing was charred.  She had a bleeding gash that went overtop of her left eye, leaking a mixture of blood and clear liquid that oozed down her face.  

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, placing a hand on hers.  

"Yes," she replied through the pain.  "Go after him," she whispered fragilely.  Tidus gave her a reassuring smile and grabbed his sword with his good hand and ran after Luzzu.  

He ran down the hallway as fast as his injured body would allow it.  His mind was churning almost as fast as he feet were moving.  Tidus was trying desperately to find some kind of trail, or maybe a sign of where his quarry had escaped.  Without thinking he turned right at a T-junction.  His sign came in the form of a metal post about four inches in diameter that came flying from the corner and met him in the forehead.  

Tidus screamed in pain as the hit connected.  His world had turned dark with spots of hazy light.  Tidus fell to the ground in a clump.  Pain had shattered his senses and slowed down his time perception.  Slowly the darks in his vision turned into grays as his sight was trying to return to him.  He heard a shuffling noise to his right.  Tidus immediately jumped to his left, while fumbling blindly for his Brotherhood.  

As Luzzu was escaping through the hallway, he had come across a section of the hallway that was being renovated.  Something about the lighting fixture that kept shorting out.  The maintenance team had been working on it all week.  When Luzzu turned the corner away from his office and the pursuing Tidus, he had found a pile of debris that the maintenance crew had discarded.  In it was a metal pipe.  It was the same pipe that Luzzu was striking Tidus with now.  

Suddenly pain shot through his right leg as the metal rod Luzzu had found connected to his femur.  Tidus screamed in agony as he realized his mistake.  _I should have stayed with Yuna_, some part of his mind thought.  Slowly the realization of his own death triggered in his mind.  Without thought, he pushed that idea from his mind.  He had to find his sword.  He had to save himself.  He had to save Yuna.

His vision had cleared up some by the time Luzzu spoke to him.

"I don't know how you did it," his voice rang out with its previous collectiveness and confidence.  Gone was the moment of fear and disbelief.  "But the fact that you somehow drained me of my powers, is of little consequence now."  

Tidus tried to focus and disregard the blips in his vision.  He could see Luzzu towering above him with a smile of arrogance on his face.  He was fidgeting with the metal rod in his hand as he spoke.  

"Prepare to die Tidus!" he exclaimed as he pulled his weapon back as he was ready to strike.  

"No!!" a voice screamed from behind them.  Luzzu turned to see Yuna, struggling down the hallway.  She was crawling on her knees, as if she felt she could contribute to this battle.  He could also tell that she was weaponless.

"Don't," she pleaded to him.  Luzzu's grin widened a second before he realized his own mistake.  He turned back around in time to see Tidus lunging for his sword.  Luzzu struck as hard as he could with the little time he had, sending the metal pipe hard onto Tidus' left foot as he was crawling for his sword.

"Ahhh," Tidus yelled as he felt the impact and heard the distinctive sound of bones breaking.  With one last surge he blocked out the pain and leapt forward and wrapped his hand around his Brotherhood.   Tidus turned in time to see Luzzu thrusting his pipe in the direction of Tidus' head, hoping for the fatal blow.  Tidus raised his weapon and parried the blow and rolled out of the way.

Tidus managed to stand up, despite the horrible pain in his right leg and left ankle.  There was also a trickle of blood that was running down the bridge of his nose from his earlier hit.  However the most noticeable thing was the sudden look of resolve on his face as he drew his weapon and lashed out.

Luzzu shielded himself with his pipe and the sword clanged off of it.  Luzzu then twisted to the right and lunged out.  The hit was only a glancing blow and barely connected with Tidus' shoulder.  

Tidus grunted as he turned to face his opponent.  He swung his sword as hard and as fast as he could, putting every ounce of his being behind his blade.  Luzzu put his pipe in front of him as he tried to defend himself.

The blade sliced right through the metal rod and impaled itself in Luzzu's sternum.

The Brotherhood had found its target.  Yuna stared open-mouthed at Luzzu as he realized death was indeed coming for him today.  He broke his gaze with her and looked down to see the familiar blue-green material sticking out of his chest.  There was a pained sense of recognition on his face, as he knew that death was now upon him and that he was taking the first step toward the Farplane, if fate would allow him that kind of peace.  He then hunched over unceremoniously and slumped in the floor, never to move again.

"Tidus," Yuna screamed, trying to step toward her fiancé.  Her pain was still immense and she fell back onto her knees.  She then closed her eyes and a magic field encased her, healing her wounds but still not easing her pain.  She opened her eyes and Tidus was there, with his good arm outstretched seconds before embracing her.  She closed her eyes and felt his warm presence surround her.  Her senses were still numb from the electrocution attack, but she could still feel Tidus' arm around her.  

"Did we win?" she asked, her voice only above a whisper.

"We won Yuna," Tidus replied.  "We won our last battle."

"No more fighting," she said.  "Please Yevon, no more fighting."

"No more fighting," Tidus replied, still holding onto his wounded fiancée with his one good arm.  "It's all over," he started.  "We can live happily ever after."

"Happily ever after," Yuna replied still deep into his embrace, with a single tear trickling down her cheek.  "I like the sound of that."

"I love you."

---------

There were screams, a lot of screams.  

Tidus emerged out of the rubble that was once the wall surrounding Bevelle, tripping over a stone in the process.  He gathered himself as he looked out into the field in the early morning light.  He was holding Yuna in his right arm and he was hearing screaming.  

As he watched the scenario unfold before him he couldn't help but smile.  His army that he entered battle with almost 24-hours ago was celebrating wildly in the field.  As he looked around he saw warrior monks hugging Al Bhed and Ronso lifting up Besaid Islanders.  They were all screaming, singing the Hymn of the Fayth, and celebrating life.  By now a few civilians had joined the fray.  His smile broadened even more until he noticed a familiar figure giving Abel a high five.  His smile quickly faded, and then it slowly resurfaced as many emotions went through his injured system.  He started limping in the direction of his dad.

"You know," Jecht's voice drifted to Tidus and Yuna as they got closer.  "I thought I planned some stuff out, but you Abel, you really came through," he said slapping the ex-aide to Luzzu on the back.  "And you know what else?" he asked while turning his head.  He stopped when his face turned Tidus' direction.

"Hey boy," Jecht said, his voice lowering a few pitches.

"Hey dad," he replied.  "What are you doing here?"

"I wasn't gonna sit by and watch you have all the fun," he replied with a cocky grin on his face.  "You look like you seen some action."

"Yeah," Tidus replied.  "Luzzu was almost more than we could handle."

"Almost," Jecht replied with a little snort.  "Hey Yuna," he said, turning his gaze to the fragile-looking girl at Tidus' hip.

"Hey," she replied uneasily.  Yuna's hair and skin was still burned in many places.  Her left eye hadn't opened since their "victory," against Luzzu.  She would see a medic later, but right now she wasn't going to miss this for all of Spira.  

"Dad," Tidus started, grasping for the words.

"Yeah," he replied.

"I've asked Yuna to be my wife."

"Well congratulations," Jecht said, extending his hand.

Tidus took it cautiously and shook it firmly.  

"But ya know?" Jecht started.  "That's no surprise to me."

"Yeah well," Tidus replied.  "I just wanted you to know."

"Well I'm glad and…" his said tapering off at the end as his eyes caught something behind Tidus.  "Auron!"

Tidus and Yuna both turned to see Auron and his crew of merry men and women walking through the barrage of celebrating chaos.  

"Hmph," Auron said, responding to his name.  "I guess you couldn't stay out of this one could you?" the ever-somber monk said.

"Me?" Jecht said.  "Stay out of this?  Remember who devised this master plan huh?  Besides, I was wondering if you still carry any of that ale."

Auron smirked as he pulled up his handle and offered it over.  "Drinking again?" he asked.

"I got to toast, and that means I have to have something to toast with."

"It always seems as if you have something to toast to, Jecht." Auron said.

"We'll, this is to victory, and my son getting married," he proclaimed loudly.

Jecht turned up the handle and started chugging as Rikku and Wakka both gasped behind them.  "Uahh," Tidus started.  "Yeah," he slowly admitted to them.

"Yunie!!" Rikku said rushing up and hugging her cousin.

And there was a lot to celebrate that day…

Within an hour the dead had been buried, the souls had been sent, and the celebration had ensued, gripping the entire city of Bevelle.  This was a city free of an evil tyrant's regime, and they celebrated it like Tidus had never seen any amount of people celebrate before.  There were fires in the street, inebriated men and women dancing the alleyways and naked people running around everywhere.  Bevelle had a large portion of ale for all to be had.  

Tidus and his friends weren't so openly avid about celebrating in the streets.  Although there was just cause to be happy, there was also a lot of reasons to be mournful.  Many people had lost their lives today.  Many people are afraid of what could happen to Spira in the future.  Already high Maesters and officials had found Yuna and contacted her.  They again wanted her to lead the world.  They needed someone to trust, and Yuna has never let Spira down.

But that didn't matter to her now.

She was safely in Tidus' arms at a back wooden table in a small and sparsely populated pub.  They had been here for sometime now, all of her friends.  Whether it was sitting around the tables in the back, enjoying each other's company, or having the occasional drink, it didn't matter, because all of her friends were there.  Rikku was talking loudly to some Al Bhed, excited and still nervous about what lies ahead for them and their culture.  Wakka was dancing with Lulu up on the floor to some soft music coming out of the sphere.  Brother and Abel were two seats down discussing in two languages the great mystery that is women, with Tidus chipping in every now and then.  Biggs and Wedge were at the bar, as they were for the past hour: flirting with a couple of blonde girls who just can't believe that they were part of the rebellion.

Auron, Jecht, Cid, and surprisingly Kimahri were sitting at a nearby table passing around their seventh jug of ale.  It seemed that Jecht got louder with each jug ordered.

"I can't believe it," Jecht said for the thirteenth time that day.  "My own boy is getting married.  He's settling up."

"We know," Auron said while taking a sip of ale.  "And I think the term is settling down.  But still, I wonder how Braska would feel."

"We'll be sure to ask him."

"Easy there Jecht," Auron said in a low voice glaring back at Tidus.

"Oh, yeah," Jecht said in a hushed tone.  "But I still can't believe it you know."

If the Maesters wish Yuna to lead Spira to the Promised Land, then she may take the responsibility.  She would consider it atoning for her not grasping the position the first time around.  But either way, she can worry about it tomorrow.  Now is not the time to think of such things.  Now, as she was in the company of friends and in the arms of Tidus, the world was perfect.

She heard Jecht let out a long sigh at the next table over.  

"You about ready," he asked someone at the table in a very solemn voice.

"Yes," Auron responded.  "For good this time."

"For the first time," Jecht replied.  Immediately Jecht got up and turned to face Tidus.  "Take a walk with me boy," he said.  "Got somein' to tell you."

"Okay," Tidus said nudging Yuna to sit up for a moment so he could move.

"Go on," Jecht said after Tidus had reached his feet.

"Huh?" Tidus asked.

"Go on outside the pub, I'll meet you there in a minute."

"Sheesh dad," Tidus said.  "What's this all about?"

"You'll see," Jecht responded.

Tidus shrugged his shoulders and turned around and left the bar.

It was actually about four minutes before Jecht emerged from the door.  "You about ready to go for this walk?" Tidus asked him as he immediately stepped out into the street.

"Yeah," Jecht replied in a low tone, as if he was really unsure if he wanted to or not.  He led the way towards the edge of the city.

After a minute of walking in silence, Jecht finally found the words.  "You're gonna be happy with her."

"Yeah, I think so," Tidus replied, still unsure where this conversation and this walk was taking them.

"She's a good girl and well…you guys will be alright.  I know your wedding day will make you the happiest man in the world."

Tidus was a bit perplexed by his dad rambling like that.  Actually, now that he thought about it, they didn't really set a date.  Jecht continued.

"I know you two will be happy, but I just wished I could be there to see it, that's all."

"What are you saying dad?" 

"I'm saying bye son."

A long silence ensued.  By the time Jecht spoke again they had came to the rubble that was once a city wall.

"I didn't go to the Farplane, when you defeated me," Jecht finally explained.

"What?" Tidus asked in surprise.

"I wasn't human when I died, I was still Sin, or at lest a good part of me was.  I didn't go to the Farplane, to rest in peace.  I roamed Spira, still partly human, and still partly Sin, but not really anything.  I can't describe it.  But now I'm human again.  The Fayth re-dreamt me, as they did Auron.  Poor Auron," Jecht said with a tone Tidus had never heard his dad use before.  "He's escaped the chance for never-ending happiness three times already.  That guy really deserves the eternal rest of the Farplane."  

Jecht paused again before continuing.  "And plus, seeing you and Yuna, makes me miss your mom."

There was a sudden pang of sadness at the mention of Tidus' mother.  He remembered his first time at the Farplane, seeing his mother there really surprised and yet distraught him at the same time.  

"I'm sure she's proud of you," Jecht said.  "Just like I am.  But now it's time."

He extended his hand for the second time today, and Tidus took it.  This time a handshake wasn't enough, as Tidus stepped in and embraced his father for the last time ever.  

"Take care of Yuna," Jecht said as he broke the embrace and turned to walk away.

"I will," Tidus said, tears swelling at the corner of his eyes.

"I'll check in on you from time to time,"  Jecht said as he started walking out into the late night toward the forest.  Tidus could already see the familiar forms of pyreflies dissipating around him.  Tidus swallowed hard as he watched his dad walk away into the night, never to be seen again.

A few minutes later Tidus breathed a hard sigh, as he looked downward.  He quickly composed himself as he heard footsteps clicking down the pathway.  He turned in time to see Auron, who had taken the same walk behind them.

"I'm not much for good-byes," the fatigued monk said.  "But take care of yourself."

"You too Auron," Tidus said lamely.

Auron started walking past him toward the inky blackness that awaited him.  

"Auron," Tidus said, emotion drenching his voice.  

"Yes," he replied, cocking his head around to look at Tidus in the eyes.

"It's been an honor," Tidus said.

"No young Tidus," Auron replied.  "It's been _my_ honor."

With that Auron hiked his katana on his back and walked proudly into the darkness.  He walked as if he was a man who was going to something that he has been denied for twelve years now.  He walked as if he was a man going to eternal peace.

Tidus' eyes watched him walk the same path into the night as his watched his dad walk just a few minutes ago.  When Auron had disappeared from view into the darkness Tidus swallowed hard again, mourning friends and family gone.  As he was about to turn and walk back he heard his dad's voice drift down towards him, one last time.

"You took your damn time getting' here didn't ya Auron?"

"Shut up," Auron said in the not-to-far distance.  "Eternity with you and Braska is enough to make me want to stay here a few more years."

"What are you talkin' about?"

Auron sighed and then replied:  "Let's go home"

And that was the last Tidus, or the rest of Spira ever heard from two of the greatest guardians who ever lived.     

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Author's notes

1—It's done.  I will post again.  Just an epilogue and a FULL Author's notes, which is why I'm not saying much right now.  Anyway, you read it all, so review and tell me what you think!!  Thanks much to everyone.


	22. Epilogue and Author’s notes

Epilogue and Author's notes.

Yuna felt as if she was inside a dream.  Her heart was pounding, sweat started to break out on her brow, and she felt cold to the touch.  Everything seemed as if it were flowing in slow motion.  She felt her arms and feet respond slowly to her mind's commands.  Now to think about it, she barely felt her now trembling feet beneath her.  It was almost as if she were floating slowly towards her destination.  She casually reached her hand up and pulled a few strands of hair out of her blue and green eyes.  She checked the rest of her hair, for what seemed like the fortieth time today.  

Yuna swallowed hard and broke her gaze from the large double doors in front of her.  She glanced to her right to find the large, blue Ronso, exactly where he was supposed to be.  Kimahri gave her a small, but enormously reassuring smile.  That was all she needed him to do.  She returned the smile, as the large doors in front of them slowly opened in front of them.  Through her numbed senses, she could hear the corresponding music in the next chamber.  She slowly walked forward into the aisle, with Kimahri at her side.

There were many people on both sides of her, standing to catch a glimpse of the beautiful girl on the happiest day of her life.  However, she was oblivious to everything around her.  She had tunnel vision in every aspect of the words.  Her gaze was focused forward on one single solitary figure, her fiancée.  He was waiting for her.

Tidus was dressed as Yuna had never seen him before.  Gone were the open shirts, shorts of different length, and wild and untamed hair.  Instead Tidus had on a sharp black tuxedo with a gold vest showing through his jacket.  His blonde hair was perfectly groomed and laying back, every strand in place perfectly.  His blue eyes were locked onto the woman he loved.  The Temple priest was on his right, and Wakka was on his left, being the best man.  Wakka looked strangely out of place as well, with his matching tuxedo and lack of stubble on his face.

To Yuna, the walk to the Temple altar seemed to take a lifetime.  When she finally got there she was convinced that she was going to fall on the step and make an idiot out of herself in front of the world.  But it went without error and before too long she was standing directly in front of Tidus, her eyes never leaving his.

The priest then began to talk, but to Yuna it seemed as if the words were muffled and a million miles away.  She tried to pay attention and focus on what was being said, but all she could concentrate on were the two blue orbs that were Tidus' eyes.  After a few minutes she saw Tidus open his mouth and say two words:

"I do."

The sudden motion made Yuna blink and snap back into reality to catch a few more words from the priest as he shifted his attention to her.

"Sickness…….health….do……forsaking…" Were the only words she could make as she tried to pay attention.  Her entire soul was still focusing into Tidus' eyes.  "Take this man…..husband?"

Yuna didn't respond at first, only waiting to see if he was indeed finished.  Hesitantly, she opened her red lips and repeated Tidus' words.

"I do."

Even though it came out barely above a whisper, those two words spoke volumes.  

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest started.  "You may now kiss the bride."

At those words, Tidus leaned in, and their lips met.  Just the taste of his lips sent electricity through her body, as if she had kissed a machina battery.  It was then that applause rippled through the temple and wedding bells broke out.  The kiss that Yuna wished would never end finally did, and she found her way back into his eyes again. 

Tidus stared long into Yuna' face, examining her expression.  There was a sense of true happiness in her unique eyes as she stared back at him.  At that moment, every part of his essence radiated with emotion.  Everything felt right to him, as if this moment was the moment that defined what he was brought into this world for.  Never before had he felt so happy, so at peace, and just so damn _alive_.  He couldn't describe it.  It was greater than any battle victory, or any blitzball win, or even being brought back to life.  It was…love.  Every single solitary part of him was into loving Yuna right now; and he wished that he would never have to break her gaze.  Finally he brought himself out of the depths that are her eyes.

They then turned and faced the audience.

For Yuna, it was the first time she had actually seen the large gathering in the Temple.  She could see everyone dressed in their best, on their feet, applauding as if there were no tomorrow. She could tell that everyone from the village was in attendance, as her gaze swept across the crowd.  Her eyes started to fill with water as she looked upon the people before her, applauding her wedding day.  

They both took a step forward and walked towards the door, this time as husband and wife.

_ "No more fighting,"_ Tidus' words surfaced in Yuna's mind from last week's war, as she passed hundreds of smiling faces gazing at her.  _"It's all over,"_ his voice continued playing.  "_We can live happily ever after."_

_"Happily ever after,"_ Yuna remembered saying as they exited the Temple into the bright sunlight. Just the idea of a storybook ending made her shudder in delight. She realized that now, in this moment, she was living the life she wanted with the love of her life beside of her.

Always. __

The end.

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Author's notes

1—Well everyone, it's done!!  I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  This truly was an interesting piece for me to write, and I think it turned out all right.  

2—Thanks to all of the supporters along the way.  I can't exactly list them all here, but if you want to know who they are, click the link that says "reviews."  To everyone who posted I offer my thanks and gratitude.  You guys are the reason that this story became what it is today.  When I first started writing this, I was using writing as a form of therapy to cope with a plethora of things.  I had no bloody idea where this was heading; I just knew I had to write.  But due to the amount of feedback I received, this story took on a life of its own, and began to twist its way into a plot that I enjoyed crafting.

3—So I guess the pertinent question now is: What the hell does this all mean?  Well, at one point, I wasn't quite sure.  I didn't know if I wanted to commit myself to another story, with all of the effort and time it requires.  But I was only fooling myself.  Fanfiction is a part of my life now, so I had better get used to it.  So where do I go now?  I had intended to go back to my roots, and do a FFVII fic.  VII is my favorite of the series, with X coming just *that* close.  But a story just didn't come to me.  There had been so many FFVII stories that there was not much to do anymore that wasn't overdone.  The only thing I knew I would do with a FFVII story is have Sephiroth in there somewhere.  But that too, has been done.  I want to do something fresh, non-repetitive, and something that hasn't been overdone to the point of overkill.  I thought I was doing that with this story, but Fallen Heroes seemed a bit cliché to me at times.  My other ideas were a Kingdom Hearts fic, not based directly off of the game's ending, but off of Deep Dive, a real badass file you should check out at www.ansemreport.com.  I even wrote a tentative first chapter.  Even at one point, I thought about doing a FFVII/FFX crossover, but as a humor fic. However, I knew I couldn't be happy doing that.  I also had another fic I never finished before this one, called Full Circle.  I look back at it and I shudder and my own writing.  I had often thought about redoing that fic since I don't like to start something I can't finish.  So where does all of this lead me?  None of the above!!  Stay tuned; the first chapter will be posted soon…in the FFX section!  Keep on the lookout.  It's an endeavor that hasn't been done much at all before.  (I've only seen it done once.)

4—Special thanks hereà  Th Lady Shadow!!  You're help on this chapter was what I needed and then some.  Thanks much!!  I'll have to FedEx you loads of the snack of your choice (Ummm…...maybe chocolate?)  Or maybe I will just pay for your full college tuition.  (Only kidding, I can't even pay for mine!  Damn student loans.)  Anyway, you helped more than you know.  Thanks!! 

SG, what can I say?  You've been here for a while haven't ya?  Thanks for the support and for drilling my arce when I mess up, or as you like to say, knitpicking!!  People like you are the reason I decided to start this up again when I was on my hiatus.  Let me know when you post your new fic.  I'll be sure to support it as you have supported me.  Oh, and I know you're pissed at this epilogue, by what you said in your last review.  But dude I had to give this some closure…but not too much closure.  You'll see what I mean later. Heh heh.

Target.  Yeah, it's game over, for now.  You've been there since the beginning too, before you started evolving into the all-powerful something…to being pissed off.  Anyway, thanks man, it's been cool to have you on this ride.

Ichabod, you damn well had a big part in this story.  That whole blitzball chapter came from your head, and it was a damned good idea.  You've been a big help.  Just keep on being there when my next project hits and I will be a happy man.

Trey-Loose.  I don't know if you're still out there, but you reviewed the first chapter and kept an eye on this thing for a while.  Thanks kid.  Full college tuition to you too.  (See above: JOKE)

5—And that brings this to a close.  Thanks to everyone who read and did or did not review.  To wrap things up, I just want you to close your eyes, and dream of a Spira where our main heroes have put their weapons up, and latch onto each other and can live happily ever after.   


End file.
